SB 228 
.B4 
:opy 1 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 



021 529 542 4 



Hollinger Corp. 
pH8.5 



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y'^i^LC^ C^^^^C't^^-^l-'f*^^}^^ 



REPORT OF THE RESULTS 



OBTAINED O.N 



Evan Hall, 
Belle Alliance, 






% 



Souvenir, 
New Hope, 



Belle Terre, 
^^^Palo Alto 



Plantations. 



BY 



Prof. LEZIN A. BECNEL. 



CHEMIST. 



NEW ORLEANS': 

L.GRAHAM & SON, Printers, 99, 101. 103 Oravier Street. 

1889. 



ERRATA. 



Page 20, ist column, in table headed 
CANE," read 

Palo Alto . 24 45 

instead of 

Palo Alto 14.4S 

Page 20, 2d column, top, in table headed "juice 
EXTRACTED," tile sub-heads should read 
" Ga/loHs'''' ^^Potiiids'''' instead of ^^ Barrels'''' 
'' Poands:'' 

Page 21, ist column, in table headed '' results 
PER ton axu per acre," the sub-headings 
should read '•'■Ton'''' '■'■ Acre"" instead of 
»' Tons'"' '■'■Acres." 

Same table, in heading, read 
MASSE cuiTE " instead of 
masse c'tes." 

Same table, in cohimn headed "commercial 
MASSE c'tes" Palo Alto should be credited 
with 5,oSo instead of 5,08. 



" PLANT Next succeeding table read 



" COMMERCIAL 
" COMMERCIAL 



Belle Terre 






23 no 


Palo Alto 






21.00 


instead of 








Belle Terre 






23 


Palo Alto 






21 


Next succeeding table read 








Belle Alliance 






i;6o 1 


instead of 






j 


Belle Alliance 






15.6 . 


Page 21, 1st column, bottom. 


in table 


of 


losses 


in manufacture, read 








On Evan Hall 






16.40 


On Palo Alto 






SSO 


instead of 








On Evan Hall 






ir,.4 


On Palo Alto 






SS 

j 



ir 



^ 



REPORT OF THE RESULTS OBTAINED 

ON EVAN HALL, BELLE ALLIANCE, SOUVENIR, NEW HOPE, 

BELLE TERRE, AND PALO ALTO PLANTATIONS. 

By prof. LEZIN BECNEL, Ciif.mist. 



Evan IIaix Plantation, \ 
McCall p. O., La., June 16, 1S90. i 

To the McCall Bros. Plautiuff and ATntiii- 
factiiruig Co., Limited, Messrs. E. <£■ ^. Koch, 
I^on Godchanx, Gen. W. P. Miles, Messrs. B. 
LemaiiH & Bra., ottd Lemann d- Lum: Gen- 
tlemen — It affords me great pleasure to haiui 
you herewith my final report on the crop of 
1889. Said report includes both field and 
factory results, and has been made as complete 
as the data at my disposal ha\e permitted. I 
also desire to sincerely thank you for the facil- 
ities which you have given me to carry out this 
work. 

To my assistants, Messrs. Chas. R. Gaines, 
C. A. Hartwell, Richard Short, C S. McFar- 
land, Walter B. Wiley, and, last but not least, 
Mr. Clinton Townsend, I desire to exjiress my 
thanks for the manner in which they have ac- 
quitted themselves of the tasks allotted to 
them. Yoin^s'very respectfully, 

Lezin a. Becnel, 

Cheinist. 

Crop of iS8g, Evan flail Plantation . 

PART I. 

field results. 

It will be remembered that the cultivating 
season of 18S9 was an unusually dry one, and 
that very grave apprehensions were accordingly 
entertained as to the general result. Contrary 
to general expectations the result in tonnage 
per acre exceeded the most sanguine estimates 
made just before grinding. 

The data relating to the yield of each cut 
separately show very interesting differences in 
the results obtained on the lands worked on the 
" gang system " for account of the plantation 
proper and those obtained by the different 
" tenants " on other parts of the field. 

It is very unfortunate that our statistical sys- 
tem has not as yet reached that degree of ex- 
• cellence which would permit of the classifica- 
tion of the different soils according to their 
natural fertility and chemical properties. 
Proper analyses of soils and fertilizers would, 
in lime, be the best guide as to what special 
tertilizers should be used and in what manner 
they should be applied to the different cuts of 
sandy, mixed, and stiff land. 

While fully appreciating the disturbing ele- 
ments of different climatic conditions, relative 
excellence of stand, condition of seed at the 
time of planting, etc., we nevertheless believe 
that in time not only the saccharine content of 
the cane could be improved, but a greater uni- 
formity of results be established between the 
different cuts, which, to all appearances, are of 
the same general character of soil. Both our 



data and experience, are, however, too meagre 
to admit of even an approach to this. 

Believing that even a little information is 
better than none, we will try to show where the 
difierences occur, and which fertilizers appear 
to have given the best results during the past 
season. To do this, the soils will be divided 
into two main classes, viz. : "Old lands," or 
those in cultivation before the war and for a 
longer period than ten years; and "new lands," 
those in cultivation since the commencement of 
tile present decade. In turn, these will be sub- 
divided into sandy, mixed, and stiff lands. The 
terms " sandy," and " stiff," require no explana- 
tion, for the characteristics of these soils are 
well known to every agriculturist. When applied 
to soils the term " mixed " may require some 
explanation. Besides the lands usually called 
chocolate loams the term " mixed " will also 
include those cuts which are sandy on one end 
and gradually slope to a stiff bottom at the other 
end. 

In the individual comparison of the results of 
the plantation and those of each tenan*, the 
kind of fertilizer and the rate per acre at which it 
was used will be taken into consideration. After 
the individual comparisons the results will be 
compared from the standpoint of soil and fer- 
tilizer used irrespective of the cultivator. By 
this means it is hoped to at least get an indica- 
tion of the relative values and results of each 
fertilizer used. 

Before going on to the discussion of the above 
results it is well to note the composition and 
character of the fertilizers used on the past crop. 
These were four in number, viz.: First, a mix- 
ture of 50 per cent dissolved bone or acid~ phos- 
phate, 40 per cent cotton seed meal, and 10 per 
cent land plaster; second. Stern's high grade 
sugar fertilizer; third, soluble Pacific guano; 
and fourth. Armour's hog tankage. 

Having explained the plan of comparison 
which is to be pursued, and stated which fer- 
tilizers were used, we will commence with the 

INDIVIDUAL RESULTS. 

In the following table will be found the re- 
sults attained with plant cane on old sandy lands : 



Ciillivator. 


Ffriilizer used, and rote per acre. 


Tonnage 
per acre. 


A 

H 

C 


Hog Tank.ige, 6c» lbs. per acre 

Ho}? Tankage, 600 lbs. lbs acre 

High Grade, 600 lbs. per acre 

High Grade, 600 lbs. per acre 


18.36 
i6.i>S 
22.40 


D 


S2.CO 









A comparison of A's and B's results shows 
that under the same apparent conditions, A 
gets an excess of 1.38 tons per acre, meaning 
that his result is 8.13 per cent better than B's. 



In C's and D's case the difference is only .4 
tons, but, although small, it should not be 
passed unnoticed, .since it represents an excess 
of 1.8 per cent in C's favor. 

Next in order, are the results with first year's 
rattoons on old sandy lands, which are as 
follows: 



Cultivator 


Fertilizer used, and rate per acre. 


Tonnage 
per acre. 


Plantation 


High Grade, 900 lbs. per acre . ... 


17.77 
19.60 
23.16 
24.61 

22.50 


C 

D 

B 

A 


High Grade, 600 lbs. per acre 

Hog Tankage, 600 lbs. per acre 

Hog Tankage, 600 lbs, per acre 

Hog Tankage, 600 lbs. per acre 



The plantation results as compared with those 
of a tenant are worthy of observation. It will 
be seen that the plantation used 50 per cent 
more fertilizer than did C, with whose results 
it is to be compared. 

All things being equal and notwithstanding a 
probable lack of soil fertility, one would sup- 
pose that with such a large excess of high grade 
the plantation should at least have gotten as 
much cane from one acre of land as did the 
tenant, C. The contrary is however the case. 
C produced 2.17 tons more, or an excess of 
12.12 per cent. With tankage as fertilizer B's, 
D's, and A's results can be compared. 

By referring to the above table it will be seen 
that A'sy results are the poorest. Compared 
with these, DJis shown to have produced an ex- 
cess of .66 tons, which give him a 2.93 per cent 
superiority of result. In the same way B is 
shown to have produced an excess of 2.11 tons, 
or a 9.38 per cent superiority of result over A, 
and 1.45 tons, or a 6.26 per cent rate of excess, 
over D. 

Want of sufficient data compels the closing 
of these comparisons of individual results with 
the yields of first year's stubble on old mixed 
lands. These are as follows: 



Cultivator. 


Fertilizer used, and rate per acre. 


Tonnage 
per acre. 


Plantation 
E 


High Grade, 900 lbs. per acre 

High Grade, 600 lbs. per acre 


19.10 
25.10 



This is another instance in which a tenant 
obtains a better result than the plantation. E 
with one-third less fertilizer makes 6 tons more 
cane per acre, giving him a 31.34 per cent 
superiority of result. 

Before dismissing the subject of the compari- 
son of results obtained on soils of same appar- 
ent general character, it is well to bear in mind 
that these same differences have a definite finan- 
cial meaning. The smallest difference which 
has been noticed was one of 0.40 tons per acre. 
Although apparently insignificant, it neverthe- 
less represents an additional $1.40 per acre to 
the cultivator, when his cane is worth $3.50 per 
ton delivered. On the other hand, the largest dif- 
ference noted was 6 tons per acre, representing 
a net profit of $21 more for the cultivator. 
These differences are as important from the 
manufacturing standpoint as they are from the 
agricultural. According to the average result 
per ton during the past season, 6 tons of cane 
represent 870 pounds of additional sugar per 
acre, which along with the proportional molas- 



ses would swell both the final output of the 
factory and the commercial value of a crop. 

RESULTS OF FERTILIZATION. 

As above, the results obtained on like soils 
will be compared, but without regard to the 
special cultivator having charge of same. The 
average tonnage per acre, of either plant or 
stubble, for a given quality of soil and fertilizer, 
will be compared with that produced by the use 
of some other fertilizer, without, however, 
neglecting to take into consideration the rate 
in pounds at which they were used. 

On sandy land plant»cane, the results were 
as follows: 

Six hundred pounds mixture per acre pro- 
duced 21.84 tons. 

Six hundred pounds soluble Pacific guano 
per acre produced 21.87 tons. 

Six hundred pounds tankage per acre pro- 
duced 17.67 tons. 

Six hundred pounds high grade per acre pro- 
duced 22,20 tons. 

Six hundred pounds high grade and mixture 
per acre produced 20,25 tons. 

Remembering that definite conclusions can 
by no means be derived from the limited data 
at our disposal, the following remarks are to be 
interpreted simply as an approximation of the 
true results: 

With tankage as a basis of comparison, the 
above table shows the apparent superiority of 
the other fertilizers to have been as follows; 

High grade and mixture, 2. 58 tons, excess 
equal to 14.66 per cent. 

Mixture alone, 4.17 tons, excess equal fo 23.60 
per cei.t. 

Soluble Pacific guano, 4.20 tons, excess equal 
to 23.77 P^'" cent. 

High grade alone, 4.53 tons, excess equal to 
24.51 per cent. 

On the basis of the results obtained with the 
double mixture of high grade and " Standard 
mixture," the excesses of results are as per the 
following statement, viz.: 

Mixture alone, 1.59 tons, equal to 7.85 per 
cent. 

Soluble Pacific guano, 1.62 tons, equal to 8 
per cent. 

High grade alone, 1.95 tons, equal to 9.63 per 
cent. 

It will be noticed that the results with mix- 
ture alone and with soluble Pacific guano were 
practically the same, and- that high grade 
alone only exceeds these by 1.51 per cent on 
the basis of soluble Pacific guano and 1.65 on 
that of mixture. 

On sandy land rattoons the results were : 

With 750 pounds high grade per acre, 18.68 
tons. 

With 600 pounds tankage per acre, 23,43 
tons. 

With 900 pounds meal and Pacific guano 
per acre, 21.95 tons. 

Showing that the best results were obtained 
with tankage. With these as a standard it will 
be seen that notwithstanding a 50 per cent 
increase of fertilizer the results with meal and 
soluble Pacific guano show a 6.31 per cent 
inferiority. It compared with high grade, an 
excess result of 25.43 per cent is shown for 25 
per cent less fertilizer, indicating that tankage 
produced 50.43 per cent more cane under the 
same apparent conditions. In the case of meal 
and Pacific guano, as compared to high grade, 



increased quantities produced increased ton- 
nage. Excess of tonnage, hosvever, is not 
found to l)c in proportion to increased quantity 
ot fertilizer used, jo per cent more meal and 
Pacific guano protiuced but 17.51 per cent 
more tonnage than liigli grade. 

Next in order come the results on mixed land 
plant cane. Tiiese were : 

With 600 pounds soluble Pacific guano, 21.70 
tons per acre. 

With 600 pounds tankage, J0.91 tons per 
acre. 

With 600 pounds mixture, 20.34 tons per 
acre. 

Showing that for equal quantities of fertilizer, 
tankage is 2. So per cent better than mixture, 
wliilst soluble Pacific guano shows a superiority 
of 3. 78 per cent over tankage and 6.72 per cent 
over mixture. 

On mixed land, first year's stubble, we have: 

With 750 pouniis high grade, 22.11 tons per 
acre. 

With 600 pounds tankage, 21.16 tons per 
acre. 

Here again will be noticed that an excess of 
fertilizer did not produce a correspondingly 
large increase ot result. In this instance, 25 
per cent more high grade only produced a ■\..\ij 
per cent increased result over tankage. Other 
things being equal and an increased quantity of 
fertilizer producing a correspondingly increased 
result, the above is to be interpreted as showing 
that tlie results with high grade are about 21.51 
per cent inferior t® thiose with tankage. 

On stiff land plant cane the results were; 

With 600 pounds mixture and soluble Pacific 
guano, 16.41 tons per acre. 

With 600 pounds high grade, 21.25 tons P^"" 
acre. 

.Showing that for equal quantities of fertilizer 
higli grade produced 29.43 per cent more cane 
than did tlie double mixture of soluble Pacific 
guano and mixture. 

In tlie foregoing pages we have pointed out 
manv surprising differences which are inexpli- 
cable by our present crude statistical systems. 
On these more light could probably be thrown 
by a more accurate soil classification than sim- 
ply the sandy, the mixed, and the stiff. 

Past experience having taught us that certain 
cuts produce tonnage more readily than others, 
the fertilization is carried on with some little 
attempt at system. Bearing in mind these dif- 
ferences of fertility, either the more liighly 
nitrogenized or larger cjuantities of manure are 
put on those lands which appear to produce 
tonnage only w-ith dilViculty, and either the 
more highly phosphatized or smaller quantities 
of manure are put on those lands which have a 
natural tendency to produce tonnage. 

Whilst excellent so far as it goes, this method 
could no doubt be greatly improved by the addi- 
tion of proper soil analyses. 

Any system tending to produce a greater uni- 
formity of result is most iiighly desiiable, as 
will be shown by the following facts and 
figures: 

Of the 5S4 acres of plant cane ground during 
the present season, 66. 79 per cent or 390 acres 
produced less than 23 tons and only gave an 
average of 20 tons per acre. The remaining 194 
acres producing 23 and more tons per acre gave 
a general average of 24,50 tons, which is only 
j^y- of a ton below the usual average for plant 
cane on this place. If it be assumed that this 



average of 24.50 tons is practically up to the 
standard, the remaining 300 acres show a short- 
age of 1,755 tons, or an average of 4.50 tons 
per acre. 

To the cultivator this represents $6,142.50 
when cane is wortii $3,50 per ton delivered. 

According to actual sugar-house results this 
cane would have yielded some 254, 5fX) pounds 
of sugar and 217 barrels of molasses 

With regard to the stubble crop, all that can 
be said is that its results are almost without 
precedent. For tlie past 13 years the average 
per acre was only 20 tons, against 22. Sofor 1889. 
This large tonnage was entirely due to the unu- 
sually good stand of cane on the land. 

Compared with the results of 18SS, the gen- 
eral field result is as follows: According to the 
general average tonnage per acre the plant cane 
crop is found to be 19.42 per cent short. The 
stubble on the other hand is found to show a 
16.62 per cent excess. Hence the conclusion 
that the general result for 1SS9 ^^^*^ --^'^ P^'"" 
cent short. From the foregoing it follow-i that 
too much stress can not be put on the advisa- 
bility ot an early start in the matter of the 
improvement of the present agricultural sta- 
tistics. 

Aided by the chemical analysis of mill juices 
and other sugar-house products, the adoption 
of improved statistical systems has undoubtedly 
reduced the losses of manufacture. 

Although possibly more dilhcult of attain- 
ment, there is no doubt that improved methods 
can be made to have the same beneficial effects 
on the agricultural results which they are 
known to have had on those of manufacture. 

PART II. 

SUGAR-lIOUSE RESULTS. 

IIa\ing succeeded in giving to our weekly 
data almost the same degree of accuracy which 
we claim for that relating to the entire season's 
work, we, in the following pages, will call at- 
tention to all points of superiority, (as well as 
to those of inferiority,) which our data point 
out, making thereon all remarks which may 
suggest themselves. Of the different subjects 
which make up the general sugar-house results 
the first one requiring attention is the 

KINNIXG TIMK. 

By counting each watch of six hours as one- 
quarter of a day, and only counting those 
watches during which the mills ran, whi.ther it 
be during a part only or during the entire 
watch, the running time for each week or iiin 
is as per the following table: 

Week ending October 20, or first run, 4.50 
days. 

Week ending October 27, or second run, 6.50 
days. 

Week ending November 3, or third run, 4.25 
days. 

Week ending November 10, or fourth run, 5.75 
days. 

Week ending November 17, or fifth run, 6.25 
days. 

Week ending November 24, or sixth run, 6 
days. 

Week ending December i, or seventh run, 6 
da vs. 

Week ending December 8, or eighth run, 6 
days. 

Week ending December 15, or ninth run 3.75 
days. 

Toial for the crop, 49 days. 



Without accidents to the machinery, it is our 
belief that a stoppage of twelve hours every Sun- 
day is all the time necessary to do the usual 
cleaning up of bagasse burner, boilers, etc. 
As was the case on the second run, it follows 
that the mill should run during twenty-six en- 
tire watches each week. The shortness of the 
first run was due first, to not starting the mill 
until Tuesday morning, October 15, and sec- 
ondly, to the breaking of a crown wheel, which 
caused a delay of three entire watches. We 
understand that at Belle Alliance and on other 
plantations the mills are started with the very 
first loads of cane delivered under the shed. 
This is an excellent plan, and one whicli, in the 
case under discussion would have made the 
running time of the first run 5.50 days, instead 
of 4.50, and this, after making all necessary al- 
lowances for the replacement of the broken 
crown wheel. 

On the third run, nine watches were lost, ow- 
ing to the necessity of certain repairs to leaky 
vacuum pan coils. After making all necessary 
allowance for the above justifiable losses of 
time.it was found that on the second run only the 
mill ran during its full quota of time. As will 
be remembered, all other losses of time were 
the result of groundless fears of a block in the 
boiling end of the sugar house. 

In the following table is given the lost time 
for each week in terms of the number of 
watches and per cent of the full allotment of 
time during which the mill should have run 
after making necessary allowances for repairs of 
machinery: 

First run, four watches, equal to 16 per cent. 

Second run, no watches, equal to no per cent. 

Third run, no watches, equal to no per cent. 

Fourth run, three watches, equal to 11.54 per 
cent. 

Fifth run, one watch, equal to 3.85 per cent. 

Sixth run, two watches, equal to 7.7 per 
cent. 

Seventh run, two watches, equal to 7.7 per 
cent. 

Eighth run, two watches, equal to 7.7 per 
cent. 

There not having been enough cane to last 
through the week, no shortage is given for the 
ninth or last run. For the six runs, on which 
unnecessary losses of time occurred, the stand- 
ard running time is represented bv 152 watches, 
or thirty-eight full days. Of these, 6. 58 pei 
cent, or two and a half days, were lost by a dis- 
inclination to run the risk of having to stop the 
mill in the middle of a week in case a block did 
occur; and 2.63 per cent, or an entire day, by 
not starting the mill soon enough at the begin- 
ning of grinding. 

Next in importance is the average number of 
hours during which the mill ran each day. 
Thirty to thirty-five minutes each day are, ac- 
cording to observations, all the time that is 
necessary to clean up and wash around the 
mill, juice strainer, sulphur machine, etc. 

Disregarding all stops of less than five min- 
utes duration, the running time of the mill was 
as follows: 

On first run, 94"^ hours, equal to 22^^ hours 
per day. 

On second run, i49{ro- hours, equal to 22|^ 
hours per day. 

On third run, 96!^ hours, equal to 22^-tt hours 
per day. 



On fourth run, 129!^ hours, equal to 22|-^ 
hours per day. 

On fifth*run, 146^^} hours, equal to 2355 hours 
per da}. 

On sixth run, 138(1X1 hours, equal to 22,-^^ hours 
per day. 

On seventh run, 1396-f hours, equal to 23^^ 
hours per day. 

On eighth run, i4o|[y hours, equal to 23-5^ 
hours per day. 

On ninth run, 85^^ hours, equal to 22;|-[| hours 
per day. 

Total crop, i,iiS{J{j hours, equal to 22(51 hours 
per day. 

On the eighth run it will be seen the thirty- 
five minute limit was fully carried out. By 
taking the average hours of mill running of this 
week as a standard of comparison, the lost time 
for the other runs is: 

On first run, i|f hours per day, equal to 5.55 
per cent. 

On second run, ij;{| hours per day, equal to 
4. 98 per cent. 

On third run, ;Jg hours per day, equal to 3.06 
per cent. 

On fourth run, f i; hours per day, equal to 3.70 
per cent. 

On fifth run, ^| hours per day, equal to .36 
per cent. 

On sixth run, f| hours per day, equal to 1.67 
per cent. 

On seventh day, ^ hours per day, equal to 
.85 per cent. 

On ninth run, ^| hours per day, equal to 
3.20 per cent. 

General crop average, ^ hours per day. equal 
to 2.56 per cent. 

Part of this loss was caused by the breaking 
of the intermediate carrier slats, but 75 per 
cent of it is believed to have been due to avoid- 
able causes. Of these the main one was run- 
ning out of cane on the last night watch. Tnis, 
in turn, was the result of overcrowding and 
consequent choking of the mill on the two 
night watches. Whatever be the number of 
tons of cane that are to be ground in the 
twenty-four hours, it is of the greatest import- 
ance that the feed be so regulated as to grind 
one-fourth the quantity on each watch. Dur- 
ing the past season, and judging from the 
thickness of the feed, only from two-fifths to 
one-third of the cane was ground during the 
two day watches, the remaining three-fifths to 
two-thirds being crowded on the two night 
watches. This crowding of cane has many 
disadvantages, and offers no compensating ad- 
vantages.' Attention has already been called to 
some of these disadvantages, but nothing has 
as yet been said of the effect that irregular 
feeds have on the percentage of juice extracted 
from the cane. Another and not to be over- 
looked disadvantage of irregular feeds is the 
danger of breakage in either the mills or the 
gearing when these are subjected to the sudden 
strains caused by over thicknesses of feed. 

According to the foregoing tables it has been 
seen that during the past season the mill ran 
during 1,118 hours. Of these 1.92 per cent, 
or nearly 21^ hours, were lost by avoidable 
causes. With a very full allowance for con- 
tingencies these 21^ hours represent three- 
fourths of a day of running time. If to this, 
the 3^ lost days, already spoken of, be added, 
it will be seen that in running time alone 4^ 
days were unnecessarily lost during the season, 



In the future a yreat deal of attention fihouki 
be ijiveii to this question of ruiiiiiiig time. Al- 
thouy;li uniinj^ortant for one ilay, or even on 
a week's run, it nevertheless counts up; and, at 
tlie enil of llic season, it is found tliat besides 
the want of coinpensatin<^ results, the expenses 
ot inanufacture have been swelled by the pro- 
jiortion due to the number of days lost. 

MILLING. 

In the follovvinjj table will be found the main 
data I elating to the crushing of cane: 



^ 


. ^ 


V 'J^ 


!M 


C5 


^3 


$ 


j^ s* 


^35. 


SS-S. 


SS5. 


sss 


■> 


B 


•^S.5- 


i-^r 


^^r 


a a 5 














■< 


: to 

■ ri 

: El 

: » 

• ^ 

1930 




■ 5s- 






l•^•^t 


23000 


3S0000 


327000 


28031)50 


Siioncl 


.ws 


41000 


562500 


521500 


.('--■57- > 


Tlunl 


1941 


02500 


394500 


3^20(X) 


29170311 


I'Durtli 


■25tS 


125000 


586500 


461500 


4i.«)5Ju 


I'iftli 


293s 


160000 


671000 


51 1000 


451S3JJ 


Sixth 


2710 


128500 


596500 


468000 


410SJ,,,, 


Seventh 


2918 


121500 


62650D 


505000 


4(S<,i5o 


Jiiyht 


3061 


138500 


()Siooo 


542500 


4817400 


Nintli 


'75" 
22873 


64000 


37'500 


30750 > 


274722S 


Totals 


S64000 


4840000 


3976000 


3S3>3S87 



The foregoing figures are given more for pm- 
poses of reference than tor comparison. VVith- 
out going into the details of proportions which 
will be derived therefrom, they show that 
with a little care tlie mills can be easily made 
to grind 3,000 tons per week. In support of this 
assertion attention is called to tlie tact that on 
the seventh and eighth runs, respectively', the 
mills only ran six days or tvventy-foiu- watches 
each week, and ground a total of 5,978 tons. This 
is an average of 49S tons per day, and demon- 
strates that even on six instead of six and a half 
day runs the mills can be made to average 125 
tons on a watch. That this can be done without 
detriment to the usual percentage of extraction 
is evidenced by the fact that the percentage of ex- 
traction for these runs is 78.76 and 79.05 per cent 
respectively. 

In order to more closely study the milling 
results, subjoined will be found a series of 
tables of proportionate results derived from the 
preceding table. 

From the point of view of the time required 
to grind a given quantity of cane, the iictiial 
results for each run are as follows: 

On first run, 20.532 tons per hour ot mill 
running. 

On second run, 20.56S tons per hour ot mill 
running. 

On third run, 20.114 tons per hour ot mill 
running. 

On fourth run, 19.652 tons per hour ot mill 
running. 

On fifth run, 20.103 tons per hour of mill 
running. 

On sixth run, 19.602 tons per hour of mill 
running. 

On seventh run, 20.970 tons per hour of mill 
running. 

On eighth run, 21.06S tons per hour of mill 
running. 

On ninth run, 20.659 '^ons per hour of mill 
running. 

Crop average, 20.460 tons per hour of mill 
running. 



According to these figiircs tiie best rcfiults 
were oblnined on the eighth run. Taking these 
as a basis of comparison the shortages for each 
of tlie other runs are : 

First run, shortage of .536 tons per hour 
e(iuals 2.55 per cent. 

Second run, !*horlage of .500 tons jjer hour 
eijuals 2.37 per cent. 

Third run, shortage of .954 tons per hour 
equals 4.53 per cent. 

Fourth rim, shortage of i. 416 tons per hour 
equals 6.72 per cent. 

Fifth run, shortage ot .(^65 tons pvr hour 
equals 4. 58 per cent. 

Sixth run, shortage of 1.466 tons ])er hour 
equals 6.96 per cent. 

Seventh run, shortage of .09S tons per hour 
equals .47 per cent. 

Ninth run, shortage of .409 tons per hour 
equals 1.94 per cent. 

Crop average, shortage ot .U>S tons per 
hour equals 2.89 per cent. 

The average of the cane grouiui per hour of 
mill running during the seventh and eighth 
runs is 21 tons. On this basis the 22,873 'ons 
of cane for 1SS9 should have been groum) in 
1,089 hours, instead of i>i'8. This is a differ- 
ence of 39 hours, which, according to the 23i|^ 
hours per day standard, represent a turihei and 
unnecessary loss of 1.67 days, (jr tor greater 
simjilicity, i^ days. If to this the 4^^ days lost 
on the running time be added it follows that 
the crop of 1S89 should have been taken off in 
43X.days. 

After what has been said it follows that with- 
out detriment to either the safety of the ma- 
chinery or the extraction the mill can be made 
to grind nearlv 530 tons of cane per 24 hours. 

It is of the greatest imjiortance that proper 
remedies be applied to these losses of time. 
Besides the extra expense which they entail, it 
must be remembered that they protract the 
grinding season into the season of further loss 
by the deterioration of cane in windrow, ;ind 
that attenchmt upon wet weather, muddy ro;ids, 
etc. To conclude these remarks on the general 
subject of "milling" it is well to study the 
effects of saturation, hardness, and quantity of 
cane ground on the extraction of juice. For 
this purpose and from the general table given 
aljovi; the following proportional results are 
deduced : 









l:i>i yy>n 
Suioml run 
Tliird run 
Foui'th run 
I'ilth run 
Sixih run . 



0.00227 
0.00228 
0.002 J2 

0.00217 

0.00222 

0.00217 

Sevenlli run | 0.00232 

Kiijhth run 1 0.00233 

Ninth run ! 0.0022S 

Crop averages 1 0.00226 




Owing to a lack of knowledge of the abso- 
lute quaniitv of woody fiber contained in the 
lane ground, the conclusions which will be 
derived troin the following comparisons will 
not be as definite as we would like to see them. 



e 



It is to be presumed that the lower the tonnage 
the harder, and consequently the gre-.ter the 
percentage of woody fiber contained in the 
cane. According to this theory, under the 
same milling conditions the extraction is in 
direct proportion to the degree of softness of 
the cane. According to the above table, if the 
rate of saturation be taken into consideration, 
this theory seems to be justified. 

For the same milling conditions it is found 
that the 2nd and 9th runs, the 3rd and 5th, and the 
4th and 6th can be compared with each other. 
In the first case by grinding at the rate of .0022S 
tons per square foot of roller surface per hour, 
the extraction of the 9th run is found to be 
superior to that of the 2nd. This increase is in 
all probability due to the greater rate of satura- 
tion, for it will be noticed that the tonnage per 
acre of the 9th run is somewhat lower than that 
of the 2nd. In the comparison of the 3rd and 
5th runs the same general conditions produce 
the same general result. 

Contrary to expectation, compared with the 
4th run, the 6th shows a decreased extraction 
with apparently softer cane. For this, two rea- 
sons can be given. First, the lower rate of satu- 
ration might account for part of the shortage, 
but the main cause is believed to be due to run- 
ning the mill without saturation during several 
days. It was during this 6th run that owing 
to the sugar makers' belief that saturation 
produced impure juices, the mill was run with- 
out it. Although a greater rate of saturation 
was resorted to during the latter part of the 
week, it appears to have been inadequate to 
even compensate tor the loss in extraction 
by want of saturation at the beginning of the 
run. 

In the cases of the ist and 2nd, and 7th and 
8th runs, although the milling conditions were 
not absolutely the same, they were, however, 
sufficiently alike to justify a comparison of 
results. Compared with each other it will be 
noticed that on the 2nd run both an increased 
rate of saturation and a higher tonnage seem to 
have produced a better mill extract'on. As has 
already been noticed in other instances, it will 
be seen that with a lower tonnage the extraction 
of the Sth run exceeds that of the 7th — the only 
apparent different condition being the increased 
rate of saturation. 

During the manufacture of the crops of 18S6 
to 1888, inclusive, it will be remembered that 
little or no saturation was resorted to. The 
average tonnage per acre for these years was 
23.88 tons. The average tons of cane ground 
per square foot of roller surface per hour was 
.00217, ^n<^ the corresponding mill extraction 
was 75.56. All other things being equal, it is 
believed that a better extraction can be obtained 
by a thin feed than by a heavy one, and in con- 
sequence the extraction should be in inverse 
proportion to the feed carried. For want of a 
better standard of comparison, assuming the 
woody fiber to be in inverse proportion to the 
tonnage of cane, it follows that the extraction 
should be in direct proportion to the tonnage 
per acre. 

Reasoning from the above, it appears that 
without saturation, the milling results of 1889 
would have been as follows: Since per square 
foot of roller surface per hour, the feed carried 
in 1889 was 4.15 per cent heavier, the aver- 
age extraction would have been 4.15 per cent 
less than it was during 1886, 1887, and iSSS. 



This means that even with equally soft cane 
the. extraction would probably have been 72.42 
percent, instead of 75-56 as already stated. If 
cane of 8 per cent less tonnage per acre is 8 per 
cent harder, this further reduces the probable 
extraction to 66.68 per cent. This would show 
a 15.22 per cent increased extraction due to 
saturation. To produce the actual 77.19 per 
cent extraction, 15.23 per cent of water was 
used on the 22,873 tons of cane ground. This 
would make it appear as if the water of satura- 
tion extracted 64.53 per cent of its weight in 
normal juice from the cane. 

According to the actual sugar-house results 
this proportion of juice would represent eigh- 
teen pounds of commercial sugar to the ton of 
cane ground. 

Our experience with the milling results of 
this place, however, leads us to suppose that 
even without saturation such cane as was 
ground during the past season would not have 
given less than a 70 per cent extraction. 

If, on the basis of the foregoing estimate, it is 
assumed that cane which is 8 per cent lower in 
tonnage per acre is only 2 per cent harder, 
the probable extraction, without saturation, is 
70.97 per cent, against 77.19 per cent with sat- 
uration. 

According to these last figures the proportion 
of normal juice due to saturation is represented 
by 8. 76 per cent of the weight of normal juice 
without saturation and 6.22 per cent on the 
weight of the cane. In dry sugar this juice 
represents eleven pounds per ton of cane ac- 
cording to the actual yields of the sugar-house. 

With a view of trying to ascertain if satura- 
tion tended to impair the purity of the juice, a 
number of tests of the first mill juices and of 
the corresponding mixture of the first and sec- 
ond mill juices were made both with and with- 
out saturation. The average results of these are 
as follows: 



COMPOSITION OF JUICE. 



Specific gravity 

Degree Baume 

Per cent of total solids 

Per cent cf sucroge 

Per cent of glucose 

Per cent of solids not sugar 
Ratio of glucose to sucrose.. 
Ratio of solids not sugar to 

total solids 

Purity coefficient 



WITHOUT 
SATURATION. 



1.066 
9.00 
16.16 
12.80 

I.S6 

1.80 
12.18 

II. 14 
79.21 



10.65 
S.80 

15-91 

12-3S 
1.46 
2.10 

11.82 

n.20 
77.62 



WITH 
SATUKAT'N. 



1.067 
9.00 
16.25 
I2.S2 
1.46 

1-97 

II.3!i 

12.12 

7S.S9 



1.051 
7.00 
12.63 
9.80 
1. 17 
1.66 
11.94 

13.14 
77-S9 



By comparing the above purity coefficients 
and ratios of glucose to sucrose and solids not 
sugar to total solids of the mixed juices with 
their corresponding first mill juices in the case 
without saturation is found: A 2 per cent de- 
crease of purity coefficient, a 2.96 per cent 
decrease of ratio of glucose to sucrose, a 17.59 
per cent increase of ratio of solids not sugar to 
total solids. With saturation the differences 
are: a 1.64 per cent decrease in purity coeffici- 
ent, a 4.92 increase of ratio of glucose to sucrose 
and an 8.41 per cent increase of ratio of solids 



not sugar to total soliiis. These ditterences 
tend to show that saturation is protiuctivc of 
purer juices tPian douhlo millinj^ alone, from 
the fact that fewer impurities are extracted from 
the cane. This is e\ idcnced by the very much 
less increased ratio of solids not sugar to total 
solids, and is probably the result of the coagu- 
lation of certain of the albuminoids by the hot 
water used, and which remain imprisoned in the 
woody fiber of the cane when going through 
the second mill. 

Without saturation the ratio existing between 
the glucose and the total solids is 9.65 per cent 
for tlie first mill and 9.18 per cent in the mixed 
juices. This is a decrease of 4.S7 per cent. 
With saturation we have an 8.98 per cent ratio 
for the first mill and 9.26 per cent for the mixed 
juices, or an increase of 3.12 per cent. 

When coupled with the increased glucose to 
sucrose ratio the last fi^jure given shows that 
the use of hot water during saturation has 
caused an inversion of sucrose, which can be 
approximately estimated as follows: Without 
any inversion it is fair to assume that the ratio 
of glucose to total solids should be reduced in 
the same proportion that it was in the case of 
double tnilling without saturation. Accord- 
ingly, this ratio should have been S.54 per cent, 
instead of 9.26 per cent. This would have 
made the percentage of glucose in the mixed 
juice of saturation i.oS per cent, instead of 
1.17 per cent, and accordingly shows an approx- 
imate inversion of a proportion of .0S6 parts of 
sucrose, or nearly, .g per cent of the sucrose 
which is accounted for by the analysis of said 
mixed juice of saturation. 

According to the average mill extraction of 
the season, and the percentage of sucrose 
therein, 192.36 pounds 'of sucrose can be ac- 
counted for from each ton of cane ground. 
The sucrose inverted dining the saturation is, 
according to the above figures, 1.73 pounds, 
showing that 194.C9 pounds of sucrose were 
actually extracted from each ton of cane ground. 
Whatever may Itave been the exact cause of 
this inversion — heat alone, or combined with 
other causes, does not, for the time being, make 
inuch difference, for it is not of a sufiiciently 
large proportion to condemn hot water satura- 
tion from a practical standpoint. 

In terms of the commercial sugars the above 
1.73 pounds of sucrose inverted represents less 
than two pounds per ton. It has been seen that 
notwithstanding this loss occasioned by inver- 
sion, saturation carried the extraction of eleven 
pounds more sugar per ton of cane than would 
have been extracted without it. Having no 
data on the subject of cold water saturation, 
nothing can be said as to the relative value of 
cold and hot water saturation, except that ac- 
cording to well-known physical principles, the 
writer doubts that in a given time cold water 
will mix as readily with the juices contained in 
the first mill bagasse as will hot water. How- 
ever,circumstances so permitting, it is proposed 
to further investigate this question during the 
coming season. 

In conclusion, we would strongly urge the 
continuance of saturation, (especially on hard 
cane,) and to the utmost limit of the evaporating 
capacity of the exhaust steam furnished by the 
different engines of the sugar house. 

It is also desired to call special attention to 
the large percentage of trash brought to the 
sugar house. Dry leaves, it is true, do not 



materially affect the weight of a load of cane, 
but after having been passed through the mills 
they come out as wet as the accompanying 
bagasse. Since they contain no juice before 
crushing, the fact of their coming out wet is 
evidence that their moisture was produced at 
the expense of a certain (luantity of juice which 
would otherwise go to swell the percentage of 
extraction, and ultimately the final output of 
the sugar house. 

CLAKIKICATION. 

There are two distinct operations in the pro- 
cess of clarification, viz.: sulphuring and lim- 
ing. In order to test the relative excellence of 
each of these operations the different juices 
were carefully tested. In the following table 
will be found the averages derived from these 
daily tests. That of the raw or mill juice is 
given in terms of the normal juice extracted 
from the cane, and those for sulphured and 
clarified juices in terms of the diluted juices: 



Specific gravity 

Degree Baume 

Per cent total solids 

Per cent water _ 

Per cent sucrose 

Per cent sflucose 

Per cent solids not sugar 

Purity coefficient 

llatio of glucose to sucrose 

Ratio of glucose to total solids 

Ratio of solids notsug. to tot. solids 



COMPOSITON OK — 



1 


2 ■* 

^ a 


if 


^" 


• :? 


• 2. 




: ft. 




i'S^S 


'■053 


'•057 


8.S 


7-S 


7-9 


1S.S9 


13.24 


14.0S 


84.. I 


86.76 


85.. 


12.46 


10.25 


10.91 


1.70 


1.41 


'•S> 


7s:S 


i.SS 

77.42 


1.66 
77-49 
13.84 


M.13 


'3.75 


11.07 


10.6S 


10.72 


10.51 


"•93 


11.79 



Owing to the reduction of the glucose to su- 
crose ratio a comparison with the correspond- 
ing normal juice shows that this juice has been 
improved by the process of sulphuring. The 
improvement has not, however, been as great as 
would have been supposed, for the purity co- 
efficient does not show an increase. 

According to the different ratios of the sul- 
phured juice, too parts of the normal juice 
would, after sulphuring, be represented by: 

Par/.t. 

Total solids 16.09 

Sucrose 12.46 

Glucose 1 1.71 

Solids not sugar 1.92 

Showing that by sulphuring .05 parts of 
glucose or other substances, reducing the cop- 
per solution, were either removed or rendered 
inert,and that the solids not sugar were increased 
by .25 parts. 

If all these had remained in solution the total 
cpianlity of solids on hand would be 16.19 parts. 
The above table, however, shows that only 16.09 
parts remained in solution in the sulphured 
juice. This shows that .10 parts, or 5.99 per 
cent of the original solids not sugar, have been 
removed either by sulphurous acid alone or by 
its combined action with the lime used at the 
strainer just before sulphuring. 

Although fairly good, these results can not 
be considered up to the standard of best work. 
Besides reducing the glucose to sucrose ratio, 
the purity coefficient should have been raised 
by the process of sulphuring. By referring to 



the " crop report " of iS8S it will be seen, 
(altliough it may have been accidental,) that on 
Belle Alliance, by sulphuring, the ratio of glu- 
cose to sucrose was diminished by 2.SS per 
cent, and the purity coefficient increased by 
2.66 per cent. 

Applying these figures to the sulphuring re- 
sults of Evan Hall for iSSg, it is found that after 
sulphuring, lOo parts of the normal juice should 
have been as follows: 

Parts. 

Total solids 15.46 

Sucrose 12.46 

Glucose 1.71 

Solids not sugar 1.29 

Per cetit. 

Ratio of glucose to sucrose 13.7^ 

Purity coefficient S0.57 

These figures show that a sufficient quantity' 
of substances, reducing Fehling's solution, had 
been removed, but that to be up to the standard 
the solids not sugar should have been reduced 
by 22.75 P^^ cent of themselves, instead of 5.99 
per cent as above. It accordingl}' follows that 
the sulphuring results of Evan Hall are 73.67 
per cent inferior to what they should have been. 
Compared with either the normal juice or the 
sulphured, it will be seen that after clarification 
the Evan Hall juices are positively less pure 
than they were before any attempt was made to 
remove the impurities which they contained. 

Unless the sugar inverted during clarification 
is equal to 95 per cent of the albuminoids and 
other substances removed by lime, the purity 
coefficient of a juice should be invariably in- 
creased. 

As implied by the term itself the practical 
gauge of the excellence of clarification is the 
rate of increase of the purity coefficient and 
the rate of decrease of the ratio of glucose to 
sucrose. If, after treatment with lime and 
sulphur, the purity coefficient, is either to re- 
main stationary or be decreased, it is better and 
more economical not to have recourse to these 
agents. Without their use heat alone w<:)uld 
produce the desired result by the coagulation of 
the albuminoids, and the original quantity of 
sucrose in the juice remaining the same, the 
purity coefficient would thereby be correspond- 
ingly increased. 

Returning to the table of the composition of 
the different juices, it will be seen that compared 
with the sulphured juice the glucose to sucrose 
ratio of the clarified juice has been increased. 
It will also be seen that the purity coefficient 
has been but slightly increased. According to 
these actual ratios, in terms of the original 
100 parts of normgl juice, the Evan Hall sul- 
phured juice, after liming and making due 
allowance for the noted inversion, would be 

represented by the following: 

^ J & Parts. 

Total solids 16.02 

Svicrose 12.4S 

Glucose 1.72 

Solids not sugar 1.S5 

These figures show an Inversion of .09 per 
cent ot the original sucrose which is an increase 
of .59 per cent of the glucose, contained in the 
original normal juice after sulphuring. On the 
same basis of comparison it will be seen that 
both the total solids and the sugar have been 
reduced by .07 parts, showing that the addition 
of lime had caused the removal of 3.65 per cent 
of the solids, not sugar, remaining in the sul- 
phured juice. 

This is by no means to be interpreted as 



evidence of good work, as will be shown pres- 
ently. 

Returning to the results obtained on Belle 
Alliance during iSSS, it is seen that compared 
with the corresponding sulphured juice, the 
clarified juice shows a 2.30 per cent decrease in 
the glucose to sucrose ratio and an .87 per cent 
increase of purity coefficient. By applying 
these figures to the corrected statement of what 
the Evan Hall sulphured juice should have been, 
it is found that after liming, 100 parts of the 
normal juice should have been represented by: 

Parts. 

Total solids i5.33 

Sucrose 12.46 

Glucose 1.67 

Solids not sugar ^ 1.20 

Per cent. 

Ratio ot glucose to sucrose 13.40 

Purity coefficient Si. 27 

This demonstrates that in point of view of 
the reduction of the glucose or other substances 
reducing the copper liquor, the entire process 
of clarification of Evan Hall for the past season 
was 44.44 per cent inferior to what it should 
have been. From the point of view of the re- 
moval of solids not sugar it follows that these 
should have been reduced by 28. 14 per cent. 
According to the actual composition of the 
clarified juice (as given above) the original 100 
parts of norinal juice are found to contain .65 
more parts of solids not sugar than they should 
after liming, and shows that in this respect the 
clarification is 5^1.17 per cent inferior to what it 
should have been. 

On the basis of the total solids minus tlie su- 
crose contained in the normal juice, the last 
table given shows that the clarified juice should 
have contained but 2. 87 parts ot total impuri- 
ties, instead of 3.57. This demonstrates that 
the entire process of clarification was 24.39 P^"" 
cent inferior to the standard of good work. 

EVAPORATION TO SYRUP. 

In the following table is given the average 
cotnposition of the season's syrups as per the 
different tests inade. The sainples for analysis 
were taken after settling, and just before taking 
the syrup into the vacuum pan for evaporation 
into masse cuite : 

Specific gravity 1.241 

Degrees Baume 28 

Per cent. 

Total solids - 51.46 

Water 48-54 

Sucrose 40.12 

Glucose • 5.53 

Solids not sugar. 5.S1 

Katio of glucose to sucrose 13.78 

Purity coefficient 77-96 

Compared with the actual analysis of the 
clarified juice it will be seen that during evapo- 
ration the purity coefficient has been slightly 
increased, and that the glucose to sucrose ratio 
has been slightly decreased. Owing to this de- 
creased glucose to sucrose ratio it appears that 
tiO inversion took place during evaporation, and 
it consequently follows that the syrup in terms 
of the original 100 parts of normal juice con- 
tains the 12.45 P'^irts of sucrose found to remain 
after clarification. 

The purity coefficient of the syrup being 77.96 
per cent, it also follows that on the same basis 
of comparison the total solids are represented 
by 15.97 parts. 

From the above glucose to sucrose ratio, the 
glucose remaining in the oi;iginal juice after 
evaporation into syrup would oe represented by 



t.yiS^J parts, which are practically 1.72 parts, or 
the quantity' found to be [iresent in the juice after 
clarilicatiou. This shows that no inversion can 
be traced in the work of the double effect. 

Deducting the sum of the glucose and sucrose 
from the above 15.97 parts of total solids, the 
solids not sugar are found to be ccjual to i .So 
parts. This shows that during cvaiioration .05 
parts or 2.7S per cent of the solids not sugar 
remaining in the clarified juice were removed 
or precipitated. 

Had the clarilication been as efllcient as it 
was on Belle Alliance in iSSS, it follows from 
the above that under the same evaporating con- 
ditions and for the same degree of density, the 
average composition of the Evan Hall syrups 
would have been : 

Per cent. 

Total solids 51 46 

Sucrose 4'.94 

Glucose S.6j 

Solids not sugar 3.90 

Ratio of glucose to sucrose '3.4° 

Purity coefficient Si. 50 

Had the syrups been as pure as this the result 
in dry sugar would undoubtedly' have been bet- 
ter than it actually was. 

FIRST MASSE CUITKS. 

The average composition of these is as fol- 
lows : 

Specific gravity '.470 

Pel" cent solids S^T-W 

Per cent sucrose : 71.61 

Per cent water 12.07 

Per cent glucose 9.S7 

Per centsolids not sugar 6.4S 

Ratioot glucose to sucrose '3'7S 

Purity coefficient 81.43 

Compared with the average composition of 
the syrup the above shows that no inversion 
can be detected during the process of evapora- 
tion to first masse cuite. 

It is also to be noticed that owing to a sepa- 
ration of solids not sugar, during the evapora- 
tion, the purity coelTicient has been very much 
increased. 

In terms of the original 100 parts of normal 
juice the above masse cuite would be represented 
by the following proportional parts: 

Total solids iS-^9 

Sucrose 12-45 

Glucose 1.72 

Solids not sugar 1.12 

When compared wilh the corresponding 
svrup in the same terms these figures show that 
during evaporation .68 parts or 37. 78 per cent 
of the solids not sugar held in solution in the 
svrup were precipitated during evaporation to 
masse cuite. 

COMMEKCI.M. MOLASSES. 

The average composition of this product is 
as follows: 

Specific gravity ••4'9 

Degree Baunie 43-3" 

Per cent total solids 80 57 

Per cent water '9'43 

Per cent sucrose , 26.6S 

Per cent glucose 22.75 

Per cent solids not sugar 3'-' 4 

Ratio of glucoce to sucrose SS'-^' 

Purity coeffieient 33-' ' 

In order to detect any inversion during the 
handling of the lower products before reaching 
the final molSfess, it is necessary to know how 
much glucose was removed by the impure com- 



mercial sugar. As this sugar was not tested tor 
glucose this can not be estiinated with any ile- 
gree of accinacy, as is shown by the following: 
Hy actual weight, it is found that the commer- 
cial masse cuite of the croo of 1889 amounted 
to 4,990,022 pounds, which, according to the 
analysis of the sugar and molasses, containcti 
7 J. 92 per cent, or 3, ('138,682 pounds of sucrcjse. It 
no losses of any kind had taken place during the 
latter processes, the commercial masse cuite 
should contain the same quanlit\ of sucrose 
which was found in the first niasse cuite. 

One himdred pounds of first masse cuite 
were found, according to analysis, to contain 
71.61 poimds of sucrose. Since the sucrose of 
the commercial masse cuite is 72.92 per cent of 
the whole, it follows that the commercial mas>,e 
cuite is represented by 98. 20 per cent f)f the 
first. 

The dry sugar in this commercial masse cuite 
is represented by 66.49 per cent, of wiiich 96.23 
per cent is sucrose. It therefore follows that 
87.73 P*^'" *^ent of the sucrose in the first masse 
cuite was removed by granulation. Applying 
this figure to the first masse cuite in terms of 
the original 100 parts of normal juice, it is 
found that the sucrose accounted for in the dry 
sugar is equal to 10.92 parts, leaving 1.52, or 
12.27 per cent, to be accounted for in the mo- 
lasses. 

The proportion of glucose in the first masse 
cuite in terms of the original juice is 1.72 parts, 
hence it follows that theoretically the commer- 
cial molasses should have a 113.16 per cent 
ratio of glucose to sucrose. According to the 
actual analysis, the molasses is found to have 
only an 85. 27 per cent ratio, and since the pro- 
portion of glucose removed with the a\y sugar 
is unknown, this difference can not be properly 
apportioned. When less care was had in the 
handling of the different products, this inver- 
sion could be approxiinated, for even without 
making any allowance for the glucose removed 
by granulation the excess of the actual glucose 
to sucrose ratio of the molasses over the 
theoretical was sufiicient to allow for an ap- 
proximation of the sucrose inverted. Although 
these conclusions are by no means final, and the 
results on which they are based probai)ly due 
more to accident than design, they nevertheless 
tend to show that the more careful manipula- 
tion of the different products resulted in a de- 
creased inversion when compared with that 
noted in previous reports. 

.MECHANICAL LOSSES. 

Estimating the woody fiber cojitained in the 
22,873 tons of cane ground on the 10 per cent 
basis, the total number of pounds of sucrose 
delivered at the sugar house were 5,028,000 
pounds. 

•^ The 77.19 per cent of normal juice extracted 
from the cane contained, according to its analv- 
sis, 4,400,(J90 pounds of sucrose, showing that 
627,910 pounds or 12.4S per cent of the total su- 
crose accounted for in the cane remained in the 
bagasse. 

According to analysis 72.56 per cent of the 
sucrose accounted for in the uiill juice is found 
in the commercial sugar, and 10.14 P*^"" cent in 
the commercial molasses. 

This shows a total loss of manufacture of 
17.30. If from this quantity, .90 per cent, the 
only proportion of loss by inversion that can be 
detected, be subtracted, the mechanical losses 



10 



are found to be 16.40 per cent of the sucrose 
accounted for in the mill juice. 

This loss is nearly two and a half times as 
large as the total losses of 18S8, and is all the 
more surprising because all outlets and wash- 
out valves were under lock and ke}'. 

A certain quantity of soft filter cake was 
made, but not enough to justify the assumption 
that this was the outlet. As all the sucrose 
found in the syrup can be accounted for in the 
commercial sugar and molasses, leaving a rea- 
sonable difference to account for the losses 
during the latter processes, it toUows that in 
point of view of the commercial masse cuite 
the work of the house was sufficiently econom- 
ical. Since, as stated, the great loss detected 
can not be traced either to the waste during the 
handling of the final products or in the filter 
cake, which, on the whole, v/as a greal deal 
better than that of previous years, it follows 
that the main loss must have been due to the 
boiling over of the double effect. 

PART III. 
Belle Alliance. 

FIELD AND SUGAR-HOUSE RESULTS. 

The field results for the crop of 1S89 are as 
follows. 

Average tonnagfe per acre plant cane I9.IS 

Average tonnage per acre stubble 18.25 

Average tonnage per acre iilant and stulsble 18.S0 

Compared with 1SS8, the plant cane results 
are found to be 4.65 per cent inferior and the 
stubble 61.19 per cent better. Combining the 
above for equal areas of plant and stubble the 
general field results of the crop of 1889 are 
found tJ exceed those of 1888 by 19.26 per cent. 

By taking the average result of the different 
kinds of cane for the past fourteen years, for 
1SS9, the results in plant cane are found to be 
19.26 per cent below the average, and those of 
the stubble 22 73 better. For equal areas the 
combined result of plant and stubble is found 
to be 3. 1 1 per cent inferior to an average crop. 

RUNNING TIME. 

The only loss of time that can be detected 
is a 2.14 per cent, or 25^ hours, for the whole 
season. Twelve hours of this time was caused 
by the breaking and replacing of a turn plate, 
and the greater part of the remaining 13^:2 was 
mainly due to blocking the boiling end of the 
house. 

This is a remarkably good record, and is in 
point of fact the best that has ever come under 
the notice of the writer. 

MILLING. 

Notwithstanding the lower percentage of ex- 
traction, the milling results of Belle Alliance 
are considered superior to any that have yet 
been seen. In this case the lower extraction 
can be accounted for by thickness of the feed 
carried. 

If instead of grinding at the rate of .00253 
tons per square toot of roller surface per hour, 
only .00226 tons had been ground, it is more 
than probalile that the average percentage of 
juice extracted would have been as good as that 
of Evan Hall. 

In addition to the above the greater hardness 
of the cane ground is also believed to have had 
its effect, notwithstanding the slightly in- 



creased rate of saturation over that which was 
carried ofi at Evan Hall, viz. : 15. 94 per cent of 
the weight of the cane at Belle Alliance against 
15.73 per cent at Evan Hall. 

In conclusion, Belle Alliance can only be com- 
plimented for its want of lost time and the 
general excellence of its mill work. 

CLARIFICATION. 

The average composition of the different 
juices is as follows: 



Specific gravity 

Degree Baume 

Per cent total solids 

Par cent water 

Per cent sucrose 

Per cent glucose 

Per cent solids not sugar... 
Per cent ratio of glucose to 

sucrose 

Purity coefficient 



Normal. 



1.066 

8.91 

16.17 

83.63 

12.94 

i.g6 

1.27 

IS-H 
So. 02 



Sulph'd. 



I -OSS 

7.50 

13-65 

S6.35 

10.96 

1.70 

•99 

S0.29 



Clarified. 



1.060 
8.10 
14.62 
85.83 
ir.79 



15-61 
S0.64 



In terms of 100 parts of normal juice, the 
sulphured and clarified juices, are represented 
by the following proportional parts: 



Total solids 

Sucrose 

Glucose 

Solids not sugar.. 



Sulfh'd. 



16.05 
12.89 
2. to 
1. 19 



Clarified. 



'5-97 

12.88 



The above shows that by sulphuring .38 per 
cent of the sucrose in the normal juice was in- 
verted. The detection of this inversion is a dis- 
appointment, for it would have been supposed 
that Mr. Riley's excellent sulphur-fume washer 
and cooler would have prevented any undue ab- 
sorption of sulphuric acid. Although the testi- 
mony appears to be to the contrary, the writer 
nevertheless believes that Mr. Riley's cooler 
and washer is as effective a machine as can be 
gotten up for the purpose. It has already been 
noticed that with inferior cooling arrangements 
no inversion could be detected at Evan Hall 
during the process of sulphuring. 

Since up to this point the only difference 
which existed between the work of the two 
places was the non-use of milk of lime before 
sulphur at B. A. it appears that to this cause 
alone is the above inversion to be attributed. 

With regard to the removal of solids not sugar, 
it is found that by sulphuring, these substances 
were reduced by 6.30 per cent of theiriselves. 

The above table also shows that during the 
process of liming and removal of scums a fur- 
ther inversion of .08 per cent of the original 
sucrose occurred. It is also seen that the solids 
not sugar were further reduced by 8.66 per cent 
of what they were in the original juice. 

Compared with the results of clarification for 
18S8, and calculating as was done in the case of 
Evan Hall, the results of clarification for the 
past season are found to be 13.80 per cent in- 
ferior to what they should have been. 

EVAPORATION TO SYRUP. 

The average syrup compositWh for the season 
is- as follows: 



11 



Specific (iravity i.J.j'') 

Di^jrcc Uaiimc 2S.411 

I'lT cent tiilal soliils • S'-il 

I'l-r cent water 47-53 

I'cr cent sucrose 41.11 

Percent glucose 6.16 

I'er cent solids not sujjar 5.20 

IVr cent ratio of glucose to sucrose 14.9S 

I'uriiy cocflicient 7*»-35 

Compared willi the correspotuliiiij clarified 
juice it is found that ilurin^ evaporation and 
settling 4 per cent ot tlie suhslances rcilucing 
the copper liquor were removed. It also appears 
as it these suhstances were prohahlv not en- 
tirely removed in tiie precipitate at the bottom 
of the tanks, that some of tlicm were not even 
precipitated, but simply clianged in composition, 
so that thev no longer affected the copper 
litjuor. By forming these combitiations and 
retiiaining in solution these suhstances would 
natiually increase the quantity of solids not 
sugar. The consequence of this would be the 
non-increase, or as in the present instance, the 
reduction of the purity coetlicient to a point 
below that of the original normal juice. 

For the present the causes which produced 
the above pecidiar phenomenon are not appar- 
ent. It is, however, very important to carefully 
watch for the same thing in the future, in order 
to discover, if possible, what are the deleterious 
influences at work in cases of this kind. 

With all the general conditions of work the 
same as at Evan Hall, the syrups were found to 
be of greater purity than the corresponding 
clarified juice. 

By applying the same ratio of increase in the 
purity coeflicient Belle Alliance syrups for the 
past season should have had an Si. 12 per cent 
purity coefficient, instead of 78. 35 as it actually 
was. If this had been the case there is no doubt 
that the yield of dry sugar from this syrup 
would have been even greater than it actually 
was. 

FIRST MASSE CUITE. 

The average composition of this product is 
as per the following table: 

Specific gravity 1.466 

Percent total "solids S7.34 

Per cent water 12.66 

Per cent sucrose 72.Q9 

Per cent glucose "-77 

Per cent solids not sugar 2. 58 

Per cent ratio of glucose to sucrose 16.12 

Purity coefficient S3. 57 

In terms of 100 parts of the normal juice the 
above masse cuite is repiesemed by the follow- 
ing proportional parts: 

Total solids 15.27 

Sucrose 12.76 

Glucose 2.16 

Solids not sugar 0.45 

Showing that during the process of evapora- 
tion from syriii-) to first masse cuite .93 per 
cent of the original sucrose in the mill juice 
was inverted. 

In reporting on the crop of iSSS special atten- 
tion was called to a .95 per cent inversion at 
the same stage of the process. At that time 
some doubt was entertained as to the accuracy 
of the statement, and the fact of finding so 
nearly the same loss for another year tends to 
prove the accuracy of the former statement. 
As was then suggested the ca'use of this inver- 
sion is believed to be a want of proper circula- 
tion in the vacuum pan. During the past season 
the Evan Hall crop was boiled in a low pressure 



pan, and the fact of not having been able to 
delect any inversion at this stage of the process 
justifies the hypothesis that Belle Alliance's 
inversion was the result oi imiJcrlect circulation 
in the boiling mass. 

COM.MKRCIAI. M 01. ASSES. 

The average composition of this product is 
as follows: 

Specific gravity .. 1.417 

Degree Mauinc 42.30 

Per cent total solids ... 80.29 

Per cent water '9-7' 

Per cent sucrose 24.25 

Per cent glucose 3"-'^7 

Per cent solids not sugar . 25 37 

Per cent ratio of glucose to sucrose 126.47 

Purilv coelficient 30.20 

In the commercial sugar 80.96 percent of the 
SI crose in the first masse cuite (in terms of the 
normal juice) was extracted. 

Accordingly the theoretical glucose to sucrose 
ratio of the molasses is S4.77 per cent. 

Compared wilh the above actual ratio the 
inversion during the latter part of the jirocess 
is found to be approximately .27 per cent of 
the sucrose in the mill juice. 

In the cise of Evan Hall no inversion could 
be traced at this stage of the process; hence it 
follows that the want of proper circulation in 
the vacuum pan at Belle Alliance has caused a 
total inversion of 1.20 per cent of the sucrose 
originally contained in the mill juice. 

SUCROSE ACCOUNTED FOR. 

In the commercial sugar 79.83 per cent of the 
sucrose in the normal juice at the time of ex- 
traction is accounted for. 

In the commercial molasses made an addi- 
tional 7.06 per cent is found; hence in the com- 
mercial masse cuite 86. 89 per cent of the 
sucrose extracted by the mill is accounted for* 

MECHANICAL LOSSES. 

Assuming that the cane contained 10 per cent 
of woody fiber, and according to the percentage 
of juice extracted, the loss of sucrose in the 
bagasse is found to have been 15.60 per cent of 
that which was originally contained in the 
cane. 

Compared with the result of extraction for 
188S, this loss is found to have been reduced by 
iS per cent ot itself. 

This reduction is entirely due to the high de- 
gree of saturation carried on during the past 
season. 

It has alreadv been seen that in the commer- 
cial masse cuite S6.89 per cent of the sucrose in 
the mill juice has been accounted for. The 
total losses of manufacture, therefore, amount 
to 13. 1 1 per cent of the same quantity. 

If, from this, the 1.66 per cent total loss by 
inversion be subtracted, the loss by wastage, 
etc., is found to have been 11.45 P^*" <-'ent. 

This is an enormous loss, being nearly two 
and three-cpiarter times as great as it was in 
1S88. 

As at Evan Hall this loss results mainly from 
the boiling over of the double effect. A close 
study of the conditions of work between syrup 
and final products shows the loss to have been 
but very little more than the sucrose inverted 
between these stages of the process. On the 
other hand, however, by calculating the number 
of pounds of siicrose in the mill juice and 



12 



syrup, a very large loss is found and can not be 
attributed to the loss in filter cake. During the 
past season tnis by-product was unusually good, 
and contained but very little sugar. As all the 
outlets were carefully watched and so closed 
that practically nothing could be washed out of 
the sugar house, it follows that the above ex 
traordinary loss must have resulted from the 
boiling over of the double effects. 

FUEL CONSUMED. 

The fuel consumed is as follows: 

Barrels. 

Actual coal at sugar house and bayou pump I3)i2i 

Six and seven-tenths cords wood reduced to coal . 27 

Four thousand seven hundred and eighty three 
tons of bagasse reduced to coal 131829 

Total 26,977 

The above fuel, when divided by the total 
number of tons of cane ground, gives a propor- 
tion of 1.35 barrels per ton. 

According to the data for 1SS8, 100 poiuids 
of cane are found to have yielded 5S.03 pounds 
of water. 

Including the water of saturation, ico pounds 
of cane in 1S89 yielded So. 66 pounds of water. 

Assuming the wash waters to have been pro- 
portionately the same for both years, under the 
same conditions of work in 1SS9, it woidd have 
reqtiired 38. S3 per cent more fuel to manufac- 
ture one ton of cane into sugar and molasses 
than it did in 1S88. 

According to the above, without multiple 
effect evaporation to manufacture one ton of 
cane would have required 2.36 barrels of coal. 
It has been seen that the actual consumption 
was 1.35 barrels. It therefore follows the dou- 
ble effect saved about 42. So per cent of fuel 

PART IV. 

Sou ve}i 1 r PI a 7i ta tion . 

FIELD RESULTS. 

The average tonnage per acre for the crop of 
1889 is as follows: 

Plant cane , i.VS^ 

Stubble ... 17.C5 

Average for 1*. and S. (for equal areas) 15.29 

General average 16 21 

Compared with the results obtained in 1888, 
plant cane crop is found to be 44.91 per cent 
short and the stubble 9.74 per cent short. The 
average plant and stubbie crop for equal areas 
is 29.60 per cent short. 

RUNNIXG TIME. 

Allowing a twenty-four hours stop for each 
Sunday, the time elapsed from the day on 
which the mill was started to the dav on 
which it was stopped, there are thirty working 
days. 

13y throwing out of count all watches on 
which the mill did not run, the running time of 
the mill is twenty-seven days, showing that 
owing to an insufficiency of cane to run all 
night, etc., three whole days were lost. 

The aver.ige running time per day is 21^^ 
hours. When compared with the standard of 
good work with due allowance for sufficient 
stops for washing out, etc., viz., 23^^ hours per 
day, it is found that Souvenir has sustained a 
further loss of 7.93 per cent of the running 
time. 



Compared with Evan Hall on the cane 
ground per square foot of roller surface per 
hour, 27 per cent loss of time is found. At 
.00226 tons per square foot per hour, the 6,483 
tons of cane ground would have required only 
eighteen and one-quarter days, after making all 
necessary allowance for stops, etc. 

It, therefore, follows that on a crop of thirty 
days duration, eleven and three-quarter days, or 
39.17 per cent of the time, was unnecessarily 
lost. This is an important item and should in 
the future be closely watched. 

MILLING. 

The percentage of juice extracted is con- 
sidered very good, viz., 76.32 per cent. This, 
howevei, is considered to be more the result of 
carrying a thin feed than of extra good milling 
conditions. 

Compared with 1888 the extraction is found 
to be nearly it per cent better. On the other 
hand, the feed carried was 10 per cent thinner; 
hence the conclusion that the increased rate of 
extraction is more the result of thin feeds than 
extra milling conditions. 

CLARIFICATION. 

The average composition of the different 
juices is as per the following table: 



Specific gravity 

Degree Baume 

Per cent total solids 

Per cent water 

Per cent sucrose 

Per cent glucose 

Per cent solids not sugar 

Per cent ratio of glu. to sucrose 
Purity coefficient 



^ 


^ 


^' 


'S' 








R 




>t 








?^ 


1.063 


1.063 


?.5o 


8.50 


iS-43 


15-54 


84-57 


84.46 


12.6S 


12.89 


1.S8 


■•57 


1. 19 


1.07 


12.S3 


12. iS 


81.93 


S2.87 



1.066 

8.S0 
16 

84 

13-23 
1.61 
1. 14 

12.17 

82.68 



In terms of ico parts of normal juice the sul- 
phured and clarified juices are represented by 
the following proportional parts: 





Sulphured. 


Clarified. 




15-30 

12.68 

1-54 

1.08 


'5-33 
12.6S 

• 54 
1. 11 


Sucrose 

Glucose 

Solids not sugar 



These figures show that owing to the use of 
inilk of lime the sulphure;^ juice contains 2.53 
per cent less glucose than before. It will also 
be noticed that no inversion occuired during 
clarification proper. The above figures also 
show that after liming the juice contained more 
solids not sugar than it did after sulphuring. 
This is evidence that the clarification was not 
as effective as it should have been, tor the solids 
not sugar should have been reduced instead of 
increased. 

Compared with the clarification results of 
Belle Alliance for 1S8S, these figures show that 
there was a sufficient reduction in the glucose, 
but that the clarification is 2.50 per cent inte- 
rior to what it should have been with regard of 
the removal of the solids not sugar. 



l;i 



EVAPORATION To SYKUP. 

The average coinposilioii of the season's 
synip is as follows: 

Specific ffruvity '•-5'> 

Dc^jrcc liiiiiinc 29.10 

Per cent total solids 53-^ 

Per cent water 46.12 

Per ceiitsucrose .-. 42.S2 

Per cent glucose 6.72 

Per cent solids ij^tsu^ar.. .! 4.67 

Per cent ratio or glucose to sucrose ^ 'i-^' 

Purity coeflicient 78.92 

In terms of 100 parts of normal juice the 
above is represented by: 

Total soliils '5-59 

Sucrose 12.30 

Glucose _ i.y,j. 

Solids not sugar 1.35 

showing that 3 per cent of the original sucrose 
contained in the mill juice was inverted during 
the process of evaporation and settling. By 
the above it is also seen that during evapora- 
tion the juices were not sufficiently brushed, 
for part ot the impurities held in suspension in 
the clarified juice must have rei'ntered into 
solution, since the s^rup actually contained 
more solids not sugar than did the clarified 
juice. 

To both these causes is to be attributed the 
very much decreased purity coeOlcient. The 
constantly decreasing purity coelTicient, unless 
accounted for by inversion, can only be attrib- 
uted to imperfect clarification, and especially to 
the want of sufficient care on the part of those 
to whose care this 'delicate operation is en- 
trusted. 

FIRST MASSE CUITES. 

By anal^'sis these were found to have the fol- 
lowing composition: 

Specific gravity '■4'^7 

Per cent total solids 90-37 

Per cent water 9.O3 

Per cent sucrose 73'6i 

Per cent glucose 11.26 

Per cent solids not sugar 5.5S 

Per cent ratio of glucose to sucrose 'S-30 

Purity coefficient 81.58 

Compared with the corresponding syrup and 
in terms of the nonrial mill juice, the above 
bhows a further inversion of .59 per cent of 
the sucrose originally contained therein. 

SL'CROSE ACCOUNTED TOK . 

In the commercial sugar S0.2S per cent of the 
sucrose originally in the mill juice is accounted 
for, and g.6j per cent of the same quantity in 
the commercial molasses. 

According to what precedes the theoretical 
ratio of glucose to sucrose of the cominercial 
molasses should be 86. 70. 

The actual composition ot said molasses is: 

Specific gravity 1.404 

Degree Baume 42.20 

Per cent total solids ^ 78.27 

Per cent water y 21.73 

Per cent sucrose 30.03 

Per cent glucose 3'.6? 

Per cent solids not sugar '6.59 

Per cent atio of glucose to sucrose 105.30 

Purity coefficient 3S.37 

As the quantity of glucose removed by the 
commercial sugar is unknown, it is impossible 
to accurately estimate the inversion which took 
place in boiling the lower jiroducls. 

From the above glucose to sucrose ratios it 
can, however, be approximated. This annroxi- 



mation is represented by 1 .^f> per cent of the 
sucrose originally in the mill juice. 

It thus appears that the total sucrose inverted 
in the .S<)u\cnir sugar house during the manu- 
facturing season ot 1S.S9 is 5.05 per cent of the 
total sucrose extracted by the mill. During 
the latter part of the season it wasdiscovcreil that 
after boiling out with acid tl)e evaporators were 
never washed with water, and that verv often 
clarifieil juice was run into the evaporators be- 
fore they had had time to becoine emptied of 
their contents. 

It is mainly to this introduction of acid, (the 
result of gross ignorance or carelessness,) that 
the large percentage ot inversion noted is to 
be attributed. Another and not to be over- 
looked cause of inversion is the putting of the 
hot syrup in tanks and allowing them to cool. 
Multiple effect evaporation is a thing that com- 
mends itself, both from the point of view of 
economy in fuel and preventative against in- 
version. 

If multiple effect evaporation is not to be re- 
sorted to, then proper and suitable arrange- 
ments ought to be inade to cool the syrups 
down to 130 or 140 ileg. Fahr. before they are 
put in bulk to settle their impurities. It cooled 
they will necessarily require longer settling for 
a given density. The inconvenience of longer 
settling can, however, be remedied by a lighter 
degree of density in the syrup. 

Referring to the crop data tor iSSS, when the 
general conditions were more favorable to in- 
version, owing to the use of a high pressure 
vacuum pan and the non-use of milk of lime 
at the mills, the total inversion is found to have 
been 2.08 per cent of the sucrose in the mill 
juice. If, notwithstanding the improved condi- 
tions, it be assumed that the inversion for 18S9 
is equal to that tor 18S8, the careless way in 
which acids were used in cleansing the coils of 
the evaporating apparatus is found to have 
caused the inversion of at least 2.97 per cent 
of the sucrose in the mill juice. 

MECHANICAL LOSSES. 

On the 10 per cent basis for woody fiber the 
loss of sucrose in the bagasse is found to have 
been 15.16 per cent of the sucrose stored up in 
the cane. 

Compared with 18S8, it is found that owing 
to the increased extraction the above loss has 
been decreased by 35.35 per cent of itself. 

It has been seen that in the commercial 
masse cuite 89.90 per cent ot the sucrose in the 
tnill juice is accounted tor. The total 1 -sses 
are, therefore, 10.10 per cent of the same 
standard. 

If from this quantity the total 5.05 per cent 
inversion be subtracted the losses by washing 
out tanks, waste, and in filter press cake are of 
only 5.05 per cent, against 11.89 P^"" ^'^"' '" 
18S8. 

This shows that by the introduction of filter 
presses the mechanical losses were reduced by 
57.53 per cent of themselves. 

I'UEL CONSL'.MED. 

Barrel. 

Actual coal 9,3'7 

Fifteen cords wood (estimated as coal) <io 

1,567 tons bagasse, (estimated as coal). 4.28° 

Totiil '3.^57 

Per ton of cane ground the proportion of fuel 
is 2.25 barrels coal. Compared with 188S there 



14 



is found to be an excess of 9.33 per cent. This 
excess is, however, only apparent, as the follow- 
ing will show: 

According to the percentage of juice extracted 
and the percentage of water in same, 100 pounds 
of cane in 1888 yielded 58. 41 pounds of water, 
against 64.54 pounds, or an excess of 11. 01 per 
cent, in 1889. Assuming the quantity of water 
added in washing sugars, reducing molasses, etc., 
to have been proportionately the same for both 
years, it follows from the above that under the 
same conditions to manufacture one ton of cane 
into sugar required 11. 01 per cent more fuel in 
1889 than it did in 18SS. 

It has been seen that the 1889 excess is only 
9.33 percent; hence the conclusion that the low 
pressure vacuum pan saved about 1.68 per cent 
of fuel. 

PART V. 
New Hope a7id Ascensioti Plaiita/iot/s. 

FIELD RESULTS. 

The plant and stubble not having been kept 
separate, comparisons of the relative excellence 
ot these crops are thereby rendered impossible. 

The average tonnage per acre for both places 
is as follows : 

New Hope 19.99 

Ascension i7'7S 

New Hope and Ascension 18.S7 

showing that New Hope's field results have ex- 
ceeded those of Ascension by 12.62 per cent. 

This diffeience is believed to be due to the 
greater area of stiff land on Ascension. From 
present lights a greater conformity of result 
might be obtained by the general use of more 
highly nitrogenized manures on Ascension. 

RUNNING TIME. 

Bv allowing a 24-hour stop on each Sunday, 
the time which elapsed during the past grinding 
season was 40 days. By counting only the 
watches on which the mill ran, the running 
time is found to have been 393^4 days. 

The average number of hours during 
which the mill ran each day is 2ij-^. Com- 
pared with the standard of 23^^ the lost time is 
found to have been 7.48 per cent. On the basis 
of the quantity of cane ground per square foot 
of roller surface per hour the loss of time is 
found to have been 15.04 per cent, when com- 
pared with the work accomplished at Evan 
Hall. 

From what precedes it follows that with all 
due allowance for necessary stops, etc., the 
i6,6oS tons of cane ground should have been 
run through in 2S% days. 

This shows that 11^4^ days were lost by what 
can only be termed imperfect management. 

In the future a great deal of attention should 
be given to this matter, as lost time is one of 
the principal elements which swell the grinding 
expenses. 

MILLING. 

The average percentage of juice extracted 
from the cane was 71.54 pSr cent. For reasons 
already given in another section of this report 
this extraction is considered very interior. 

From tlie average tonnage per acre of the 
cane, and the relatively thin feed carried, the 
above extraction is considered to be about 10 
per cent inferior to what it should have been. 

This shortage is believed to be due to the 
\yant of .sufficient pressure on the mills. 



Whilst the mills are known to be a little weak 
in construction, the same cane, under ordi- 
narily ^ood milling conditions, should have 
yielded between 76 and 77 per cent of its 
weight in juice, and in consequence the results 
in sugar and molasses per ton of cane would 
have been about 10 per cent larger than they 
actually were. 

CLARIFICATION. 

The average composition of* the different 
juices is as follows: 



Specific gravity 

Degree Baume 

Per cent solids 

Per cent water 

Per cent sucrose ,. 

Per cent glucose 

Per cent solids not sugar 

Per cent ratio of glucose to sucrose 
Purity coefficient 



g; 


Co 


S: 


*$ 




2; 




\ 








». 


1.066 


1.06s 


9.00 


S.So 


16.27 


15.89 


83.73 


84. 1 1 


13-^3 


12.SQ 


1.69 


1.72 


I -35 


i,SS 


12.77 


13.66 


81.36 


79-23 



1.069 

9-30 

16.84 

83.16 

13.61 

1.88 

1-35 
13.81 

80.81 



In terms of 100 parts of the normal juice the 

sulphured and clarified juices are represented 
by the following table of proportional parts: 





a. 




0" 


Total solids 


16.56 

13.12 

1.79 

1.65 


16.22 




13.11 
1.81 
1.30 


Glucose 

Solids not sugar. 



The above shows that during the process of 
sulphuring .81 per cent of the original sucrose 
was inverted. During clarification proper a 
further inversion of .07 per cent of the same 
quantity is found. 

This .88 per cent inversion is in all proba- 
bility the result of the following causes, viz.: 
I. The non-use of milk of lime at tlie mill and 
before sulphuring. 2. A probable excessive 
sulphurization. 3. The use of settling tanks 
for the sulphured juice. These tanks should by 
all means be removed and the juice should al- 
ways be sent to the clarifiers just as it comes out 
of the sulphur machines and wi'hout settling. 

According to the standard of good work al- 
ready used in previous sections the above 
juices should have had the following composi- 
tion : 



Per cent of total solids 

Per cent of sucrose 

Per cent of glucose 

Per cent of solids not sugar. 

Per cent ratio of glucose to sucrose. 
Purity coefficient 




These figures show that from the point of 
view of the removal ot glucose and solids not 



i:> 



sugar, the results of sulphuring were 31.80 per 
cent, and those of the entire process of clari- 
fication 25. 91 per cent inferior 10 what they 
should have been. 

This should not be, for the arrantjements at 
New Hope are such that well clarified juices 
should always result from the ordinary hamiling 
of the juices, providing that both sulpiuiiing 
and clarilication be carried to the proper point. 

EVAPORATION TO SYRl P. 

The average composition of the syrup is as 
follows: 

Specific gravity 1.21S 

Degree Huume 25.S0 

Per cent total solids _ 47-39 

Percent water S^.oi 

Per cent sucrose 37-77 

Per cent glucose 5.49 

Per cent solids not sugar 4.14 

Per cent ratio of glucose to sucrose _ •4-53 

Purity coefficient 79-70 

The above analysis indicates a .60 per cent 
inversion of the sucrose originally in the mill 
juice. 

Both at Evan Hall and Belle Alliance it has 
been seen that no inversion could be detected 
in the work of the double effects. With its 
triple etfect of the same construction it is be- 
lieved that the same should have been the case 
at New Hope. 

That the above rate of .60 per cent of inver- 
sion is not even greater is believed to be entirely 
due to the fact that during part of the season 
all the syrups were ^lot reheated before being 
sent to the settling tanks. 

In order to determine the quantity of sucrose 
which is destroyed by the reprehensible practice 
of reheating the syrup after it leaves the triple 
effect, a number of special tests were made of 
the syrup just before healing and just before 
being taken up into the vacuum pan. 

The average of these is as follows: 



Specific gravity 

Degree l-taume 

Per cent total solids 

Per cent water 

Per cent sucrose 

Per cent glucose 

Per cent solids not sugar 

Per cent ratio of glucose to sucrose. 
Purity coefficient 



Before. 



After. 



1. 214 


1.223 


25.40 


26.20 


46.6. 


4S.2: 


53-39 


S>-79 


36.93 


37-44 


5-32 


6.16 


4-37 


4.61 


14.40 


16.1S 


79.21 


77.66 



To increase the glucose to sucrose ratio from 
14.40 to 16. iS per cent necessitates the inversion 
of 1.6S per cent of the sucrose in the syrup as 
it comes out of the triple effect. 

On the other hand, as has alieady been' stated 
in a previous section, the reheating of syrups 
has a teridency to increase the purity coefficient. 

If suitable arrangements were made to imme- 
diately cool the reheated syrup to temperature 
not exceeding that at which it comes out of the 
3rd effect (130 to 140 deg. F.) the practice of re- 
heating is one that can be recommended as 
being conducive to good results. 

On the other hand, however, if the syrup is 
not to be cooleu as prescribed, it can not be too 
strongly urged that all open pans used for that 
purpose be relegated to the scrap pile. 

EVAPORATION TO FIRST MASSE CUITE. 

In the folUowing table is given the average 
composition of the first masse cuites, viz: 



Specific gravity 1.492 

Per cent total sulnl 'y'.44 

Per cent water ^.50 

Per cent sucrose 71.80 

Per cent glucose ij.oj 

Per cent solids not .sugar . .7.60 

Per cent ratio of glucose to sucrose 16.78 

Purity coefficient . ,78^1 

Compared with the corresponding syrup the 
above shows that during the process of boiing 
to first masse cuite j.42 per cent of the sucrose 
in the original normal juice was inverted. 

The causes of this inversion are believed to 
have been due to the presence of certain quan- 
tities of free sulphuric acid which resulted from 
improper sulphuring, and principally to the 
great length of time which was required to boit 
the different strikes. 

It is of the greatest importance that less time 
should be taken up in the boiling process. That 
this can be accomplished without changes to 
the vacuum pan is the belief and conviction of 
the writer. 

The New Hope vacuum pan is of the same 
cubical capacity as that at Evan Hall and con- 
tains over 33 per cent more heating surface 
than did the Evan Hall pan before it was 
changed to low pressure. In those days a strike 
could be very comfortably made in from 6 to 7 
hours. During the past season the average time 
of the New Hope strikes not infrequently 
reached 12 to 13 hours and sometimes longer. 
In conclusion, it is to be strongly urged that 
the boiling be done in a inore expeditious man- 
ner, for nothing is more favorable to inversion 
than the submitting of saccharine liquors to 
long-continued heat, even if this heat be of 
compaiatively low degree. 

COMMERCIAL MOLASSES. 

In the commercial sugar 82.96 per cent of the 
sucrose in the first masse cuite is accoimted for. 
Accordingly, if no inversion had taken place 
during the handling of the lo,ver pioducts, the 
glucose to sucrose ratio of the molasses should 
have been 96.82 per cent. 

The actual composition of the commercial 
molasses, as per analysis, is as follows: 

Specific gravity '.4^7 

Degree Baunie 42.70 

Per cent total solids 81.75 

Per cent water 1S.27 

Per cent sucrose ., 25.20 

Percent glucose ^9-4^ 

Per cent solids not sugar 27.07 

Per cent ratio of glucose to sucrose 116.50 

Purity coefficient 30.S2 

Compared with the above theoretical glucose 
to sucrose ratio the above figures show that 
during the manufacture of second sugar and 
the reboiling of the molasses a finther inversion 
of 1. 5 1 per cent of sucrose in the original mill 
juice has taken place. 

MECHANICAL LOSSES. 

On the basis of 10 per cent wood} fiber in the 
cane the loss in the bagasse is found to have 
been 20.57 P^"" cent of the sucrose stored up in 
the cane. 

In the commercial sugar 79.44 per cent of the 
sucrose accounted tor in the mill juice is found, 
and in the commercial molasses a further pro- 
portion of 9.95? per cent is accounted for. 

This shows that in the commercial masse 
cuite 89. 40 per cent of the original sucrose in 
the mill juice is accounted for. 

The total losses of manufacture are conse- 



16 



quently to. 58 per cent of the same quantity. 
If from this the total inversion detected, viz., 
5.41 per cent, be subtracted, the mechanical 
losses are found to have been 5.17 per cent. In 
this respect the work is thought to have been 
quite economical, but it is nevertheless believed 
that with greater care this percentage of loss by 
waste, washing out of tanks, etc., can be very 
much reduced. 

With regard to the inversion, a great deal of 
care should be had as to the manner in which 
sulphur is used in the future, for a considerable 
part of the inversion noted was no doubt due 
to this cause alone. When, coupled with this, 
you add the reheating of the syrup, it becomes 
almost impossible to estimate to what extent the 
inversion might not reach. 

In the case under notice the sucrose inverted 
amounts to ten pounds of commercial sugar 
per ton of cane ground. 

PART VI. 

Results of Belle Terre, Peytaviji, Rodriguez, 
and Crescent Plantations. 

FIELD RESULTS. 

Along with the contributions of a few tenants 
and outsiders all the cane of the above places 
was ground in the Belle Terre sugar house. 
The average tonnage per acre of each of the 
above is as follows : 

Belle Terre, plant and stubble ^ '7-7o 

Peytavin and Dugas, plant and stubble 15 30 

Rodriguez, plant and stubble 1440 

Crescent, tenants and outsiders, plant and stubble.. 15.92 

Compared with those of Belle Terre the re- 
sults of the other places show the following 
rates of inferiority : 

Per cent. 

Crescent, tenants and outsiders 10.06 

Peytavin and Dugas. 13-62 

Rodriguez 1S.64 

RUNNING TIME. 

Exclusive of 24-hour stops on each Sunday 
the mill is found to have run more or less dur- 
ing 50 days. Counting by watches, on which 
cane was run through the mill, tiie running 
time is found to have been 44/^ days, showing 
that ^yi working days were unnecessarily lost. 
The main cause of this loss was running out 
of cane period. Attention has already been 
called to the fact that in a well-ordered sugar 
house the average daily stops should not ex- 
ceed thirty-five minutes. Accordingly, a further 
13. II per cent loss of time is noted. Sum- 
marizing, it follows that the 19,102 tons of cane 
hould have been ground in 38II days, instead 
o i^o. This shows a total loss of time amount- 
ing to 11^ days, which is 23 per cent of the 
total time required to take off the crop. 

In the future this point should be very closely 
watched, for continuous and steady running is 
the most effective way of reducing the cost of 
manufacture. 

MILLING. 

Per square foot of roller surface per hour 
the cane ground is found to have amounted to 
00235 tons. 

This is considered to be a good rate of speed, 
and one which, under ordinarily good milling 
conditions, would produce an average percent- 
age of extraction varying between 76 and 78 per 
cent. 



On the other hand, the actual percentage of 
juice ejjtracted from the cane is found to have 
been 73.59 per cent. This is a shortage of 
about 6 percent, which is believed to have been 
due to the breaking of one of the back rollers. 

As a matter of course, it is impossible to do 
good mill work with a crippled back mill. 

CLARIFICATION. 

The average composition of the different 
juices is as follows: 



Specific gravity 

D egree B aume 

Per cent total solids 

Per cent water 

Per cent sucrose 

Percent glucose 

Per cent solids not sugar 

Per cent ratio of glucose to su 

crose 

Purity coefficient 



«^ 


Co 


5; 


"$ 




fe- 




5; 




~< 








r^ 


I 073 


1.069 


99S 


9-So 


17.6S 


16.89 


S2.32 


83.11 


14.27 


14.12 


1.72 


1.71 


1.69 


1.06 


12.05 


12. II 


S0.69 


83.60 



9.40 
16.76 
83.24 
14.05 

1.68 
1.03 

11. 97 
83-83 



In terms of 100 parts of the normal juice the 
sulphured and clarified juices are represented by 
the following proportional parts: 





Co 

.5, 


a" 

I;- 

a. 


Total solids 


17.04 

14-25 

1-73 
1.06 


17.00 
1^.25 




1.71 
1.04 


Solids not sugar 



These figures show that notwithstanding a 
small quantity of milk of lime used before 
sulphuring in the sulphur juice .14 per cent of 
the sucrose contained in the normal mill juice 
is found to have been inverted. In addition to 
the probable insufficiency of milk of lime the 
above inversion is believed to have been due to 
the following causes: First, insufficient wash- 
ing of the sulphured fumes before saturating 
(he juices with them, and secondly, allowing 
the juice to stand in bulk before being sent to 
the clarifiers after sulphuring. Save for the in- 
version just noted the clarification is considered 
to have been quite effective, and even better than 
that of the other places of which we have al- 
ready spoken. 

According to the standard by which the clari- 
fication of the other places has been compared 
the sulphured and clarified juices ot Belle Terre 
should, in terms of 100 parts of normal juice, 
have had the following composition: 



Per cent total solids 

Per cent sucrose 

Per cent glucose 

Per cent solids not sugar 

Per cent ratio of glucose to sucrose. 
Purity coefficient 



Sulph\i. 



Clarified. 



17 22 


87-07 


14.27 


14.27 


1.67 


1.63 


1.28 


1. 17 


11.70 


11-43 


82.84 


83-59 



This demonstrates that in point of view of the 
glucose content the sulphured juice is 4.37 per 



17 



cent ami the clarified 4.31 pc-i cent interior to 
what they shoiiki have been. 

In point of \iew of the removal of solids no'. 
sugar, the actual results are found to have been 
superior even to the standard by which we have 
compared. 

In conclusion, all that can be saiil is that \* is 
to be hoped that in the future the solids not 
suijar will be removed in ;is effective a manner. 

If to this by greater care and a more judi- 
cious use of hulphur tiie coefficient of inversion 
be reduced to zero, the clarification ai Belle 
Terre will leave but little room for improvement 
until experience will have taught us that even 
these results can be improved upon. 

EVAPORATION TO SVRUP 

The average composition of the syrup is as 
follows : 

Specific >;r:ivity •••24S 

Degree Biiuine 28.90 

Percent total solids .". 52. .27 

Per cent water 47-73 

Per cent sucrose 43-9^ 

Percent glucose ' 5.33 

Per cent solids not sugar ; 2.96 

Per cent ratio of glucose to sucrose 12.12 

Purity coefficient 84.14 

Compared with the corresponding clarified 
juice, the above shows that during evaporation 
.14 per cent of the sucrose originally in the nor- 
mal juice was inveited. It has been shown that 
with double-effect evaporation no inversion 
could be detected" at this stage of the process 
either at Evan Hall or at Belle Alliance. 
It is accordingly believed that the above .14 
per cent is an after result of sulphuric acid 
which was probably introduced in the juices at 
the time of sulphuring. 

Another cause which may have induced a 
part of this inversion vvas the general tendency 
to keep too much liquor in the double-effect 
pans. By this practice, not only is the evaporat- 
ing capacity of the pans somewhat cut down, 
but there is a greater danger of having a given 
quantity of saccharine liquor subjected to the 
heat during too long a time. 

EVAPORATION TO FIRST MASSE CUITKS. 

Complete analyses of this product were not 
made, but both the glucose and sucrose were 
determined therein. 

The averages for the season are as follows : 

Per cent ol sucrose 77''7 

Percent of glucose ...' 9.41 

Percent ratio of glucose to sucrose 12.19 

Compared with the corresponding syrup, the 
above shows a further inversion of .07 per cent 
of the sucrose in the normal juice. 

This inversion is thought to have been due to 
several causes, viz.: Those already mentioned 
in the paragraph relating to the syrups and to 
boiling at highpre>sure in the vacuum pan, in- 
stead of low pressure. 

Had not the vacuum pan boiled as rapidly ;is 
it did, (sometimes boiling a strike in from 2'/i 
to 3 hours,) the above coefiicient of inversion 
would, no doubt, have been greater than .07 
per cent. 

INVERSION BETWEEN FIRST AND CO.M.MERCIAL 
MASSE CUITE. 

After allowing for the sucrose removed by 
granulation, the theoretical glucose to sucrose 



ratio ot the commercial molasses is tound to 
'"^ 4957 Pt:'' cent. The actual composition of 
the commercial molasses is as follows: 

Snecilic gravity 1.^13 

Degree Mainnc 4.1.90 

Per cent total solid.s y^jjy 

IVr cent water 20.41 

IVr cciii sucro.se V.^it 

IVr cent glucose ' i^.jS 

IVr cent .solids not sugar 22.03 

Per cent ratio of glucose to sucrose Si. 17 

Purity coefficient V)-^)' 

When compared with the theoretical glucose to 
sucrose ratio the above shows that during the 
manufacture of second sugars and the reboil- 
ing of the commercial molasses 4.14 percent 
of the sucrose in the normal juice was inverted. 

COM.MEKCIAL MASSE CLITES. 

In the commercial sugar, 75.20 percent ot the 
sucrose extractied in the mill is accounted for. 
In the commercial molasses, 10.S7 per cent of 
the same quantity is also accounted for. This 
shows tiiat S6.07 per cent of the sucrose in the 
mill juice is found in the commercial masse 
cuite. 

•MECHANICAL LOSSES, 

On the 10 per cent basis for woody fiber, and 
according to the percentage of juice extracted 
from the cane, the sucrose lost in the bagasse is 
found to have been 18.23 per cent of that stored 
up in the cane. 

This loss is enormous, and should be reduced 
by a more thorough system of saturation be- 
tween the two mills. 

It has already been seen that in the commer- 
cial masse cuite SC.07 per cent of the sucrose in 
the mill juice vvas recovered. It theretore fol- 
lows that the total losses ot manufacture 
amounted to 13.93 P^"" cent of the same quan- 
tity. 

If from this the 4.49 per cent loss b^' inversion 
be subtracted the loss by washing out of tanks 
in the filter cake, etc., is found to have been 
9.44 per cent. 

As at Evan Hall and Belle Alliance this loss 
was mainly due to the boiling over of the double 
effects. Although this evil might not be 
readily remedied, it would no doubt be advan- 
tageous not to carry so much liquor in the 
pans. 

The proportion of the above loss due to filter 
cake can also be remedied by the following 
methoii : 

All syrup tank bottoms should be se"l back 
to the clarifiers, and wherever the filter cake 
shows a tendency to be soft and mushy, lime 
should be added to the skimmings before being 
seni to the filter presses. 

PART VII. : 

Palo Alto Plantation. ■. 

FIELD RESULTS. 

The average tonnage per acre is as follows: 

Plant cane ,, ,. 

Stubble cane .."''.i^^^^^.^..'.'.' 220? 

(Jeneral average plant and stubble cane . ....... "'.!.^. '23130 

For a year Ijke 1889 these are excellent results. 

RUNNING TIME. 

Exclusive ot 24-hour stops on Sundays the 
time required to take off the crop was 50 days. 



18 



Counting by watches on which the mill ran the 
running time is found to have been 44^^ da^vs. 
The average running time per day was 20^ 
hours. According to the standard 235^ hours 
per day, the time lost amounts to 2 hours and 
40 minutes per day ot actual running time. 
Whilst the mill could be made to grind more 
cane, it is believed that it would do so at the 
expense of extraction. By overcrowding it 
there would also be danger of expensive break- 
downs. Accordingly, a feed of .00215 tons per 
square foot of roller surface per hour is thought 
to be all that the mill can do with any relative 
degree of safety. 

By grinding at the same rate, viz: .00215 
tons per square foot of roller surface per hour, 
if the mill had been run 23^^ hours instead of 
20^1 hours per day, the 12,903 tons of cane could 
have been ground" in 39^ working days. This 
shows that in a season of 50 days, 21 per cent or 
iol4 davs were lost. 



Considering the size and strength of the mills 
and gearing this operation was very successfully 
carried out. The percentage of juice extracted 
is a great deal better than might have been ex- 
pected. and is attributable to the softness of the 
cane and to saturation. 

CLARIFICATION. 

The average composition of the different 
juices is as follows: 



Specific gravity 

Degree Baume 

Per cent total solids 

Per cent water 

Per cent sucrose 

Per cent glucose 

Percent solids not sugar 

Per cent ratio of glucose to sugar 
Purity coefficient 




1.065 

8.S0 

15.88 

84.12 

12.S5 

1. 85 

1. 10 

14.39 
80.92 



In terms of 100 parts of normal juice the 
above sulphured and clarified juices are repre- 
sented by the following proportional parts. 





IS-47 

12.36 

1.81 

1.30 


i 


Total solids 


15-27 
12.36 

1.78 
1-13 


Sucrose . 


Glucose 


Solids not sugar 



These figures show that during the process of 
sulphuring .08 per cent of the sucrose in the 
mill juice was inverted. This inversion is 
thought to be attributable to the non-use of 
milk of lime at the mill, and probably also to 
allowing some of the sulphured juices to stand 
in bulklaefore subjecting them to clarification. 

Compared with the mill juice the clarified 
juice is found to contain 8.13 per cent less 



solids not sugar than before treatment with 
sulphur and lime. 

According to the standard of clarification 
used in all previous comparisons the composi- 
tion of the above juices should be: 



Per cent total solids 

Per cent sucrose 

Per cent glucose 

Per cent solids not sugar 

Per cent ratio of glucose to sucrose .. 
Purity coefficient 



Co 


C) 






^ 


■^ 




lc 






.^ 




15.00 


14-87 


1237 


12.37 


1.74 


1.70 


.89 


.80 


14.10 


12.78 


82.48 


S3.20 



These figures show that the sulphured juice 
contained 4.02 per cent more glucose and 50.62 
per cent more solids not sugar than it should 
have contained. 

With regard to the clarified juice a 4.71 per 
cent excess of glucose and a 41 .25 per cen^ excess 
of solids not sugar are found. 

In point of view of the purity coefficient 
the sulphured juice is found to be 3.15 per cent 
and the clarified juice 1.54 per cent inferior to 
what they should have been. 

In order to remedy this the only thing that 
can be recommended is that the men who have 
charge of the delicate operation of clarification 
be impressed with the absolute necessity of 
being as careful as they can possibly be with the 
work entrusted to their care. 

EVAPORATION TO SYRUP. 

The average composition of this product is 
as follows : 

Specific gravity 1.0267 

DegreeBaume 30-30 

Percent total solids 56.08 

Per cent water 4392 

Percent sucrose 44 S" 

Percent glucose 6.91 

Per cent solids not sugar . 4.59 

Per cent ratio of glucose to sucrose .. 15.58 

Purity coefficient 79-4^ 

In terms of 100 parts of normal juice the 
above syrup is represented by the following 
proportional parts: 

Total solids 15.42 

Sucrose . 13.24 

Glucose 1.91 

Solids not sugar . 1.27 

These figures show that during the process of 
evaporation and settling of the syrup .97 per 
of the sucrose contained in the mill juice was 
inverted. 

In order to determine how much sugar was 
inverted during the process of evaporation 
proper a number of special experiments were 
made. 

For these, as soon as an evaporator had been 
charged with clarified juice, a sample of the 
contents was analyzed. 

As soon as the density had been reduced to 
the desired point the contents were again 
analyzed. 

The average of eleven of these experiments is 
given in the following table : 



I'.t 




SlK-L-itic s;r;ivitv 1.071 

Deifioe ISauinc O.50 > 

I'er cent ti>t:il soliils '7.'4 

I'cr iLMit WMtci- j S2.S0 

Per eent sucrose '3-8o 

Her cent ^jlucose 1.66 

Per cent solids not suu^ar 1.6S 

Per cent ratio of glucose to sucrose | 12.03 

Purity coefficient 80.51 



29.60 

S4-7.S 
45.28 
4-(.oo 
S-So 
5.22 
12.50 
80.41 



These figure.s show that during evaporation 
.65 per cent of the sucrose contained in the 
clarified juice was inverted. 

B\ apjilying tliese figures to the crop average 
composition of the clarified juice in ternit; of 
100 parts of the normal juice, it is found that 
.64 per cent of the sucrose in the mill juice 
was inverted in the evaporators. 

It has already been seen that between the 
points of clarified juice and syrup just before 
being taken up in the vacuum pan .97 per cent 
of the original sucrose was inverted. 

The above .64 per cent is nearly two-thirds 
of this quantity; it therefore follows that the 
inversion which took place in the settling tanks 
must have amouilted to .33 per cent of the 
originial sucrose in the mill juice 

In the future it is strongly to be desired that 
the syrups be not so much reduced in density as 
they were during the past season. It is claimed 
by the best authorities on this subject that up to 
a density of 20 or 22 deg. Baum^ (bot) little or 
no inversion takes place in the open evapora- 
tors. Past tliis point, however, the inversion is 
very rapid, and in a general way it can be said 
that the greater the density the more sugar has 
been inverted. As has already been suggested 
with regard to other places rapid cooling of 
syrups is strongly to be advised. 



EVAPORATION TO FIRST MASSE CUITE. 

According to analysis this product is found 
to have had the following average composition : 

Specific gravity 1.504 

Per cent total solids 92.72 

Per cent water 7.2S 

Per cent sucrose 73-33 

Per cent glucose "•79 

Per cent solids not sugar 7.60 

Per cent ratio of glucose to sucrose 16.09 

Purity coetTicient 79.0n 

Compared with the corresponding sjrup the 
above shows that during the time that the 
syrup reinained in the vacuum pan .48 per cent 
of the sucrose in the mill juice was inverted. 

This inversion is mainly due to the work of 
boiling having been performed in a high- 
pressure instead of a low-pressure pan. 



CO.MMKRCIAI. MOLASSES. 

In the following table is given the average 
composition of this product : 



Specific travilN 

Degree Raunie 

Per cent total solids 

Per cent water 

Per cent sucrose 

Per cent glucose 

I'er cent s<dids not sugar 

Itatio of glucose to sucros 

Purity coefficient 



1.417 
42.30 

So.li 
1<;.S>< 
2074 
3''<^» 

23.2«y 



In the ccjinniercial bugar 79.72 p«r cent of the 
sucrose in the first masse cuite is accounted for. 

In this instance the percentage of glucose 
was determined in the sugars, viz. : 4. S3 percent 
of the weight of the second and third sugars. 
When calculated out this glucose is found to be 
7. 115 per cent of tiie total glucose found in the 
first masse cuite. It is accordingly found that, 
if no inversion had taken place tiuring the boil- 
ing of the lowei grades of sugar, etc., the com- 
mercial molasses would have had a 72.07 per 
cent glucose to sucrose ratio. 

Compared with the actual glucose to sucrose 
ratio it is found that 3.55 per cent of the sucrose 
contained in theoriginal mill juice was inverted 
during the time that the lower products re- 
mained in the vacuum pan and hot room. 
Summarizing what has been said on the subject 
f)f inversion, it is found that from various 
causes 5.0S per cent of the sucrose in the origi- 
nal mill juice was inverted dining the process 
of manufacturing same into commercial sugars 
and molasses. 



MECHANICAL LOSSES. 

On the 10 per cent basis for woodv fiber the 
loss of sucrose in bagasse is found to have 
been 19.67 per cent of the quantity present in 
the cane at the time of crushing same. 

Of the sucrose extracted by the mill 78.50 
pei- tent is found in the commercial sugar and 
10.92 per cent in the molasses, showing that the 
total losses of manufacture are 10.58 per cent 
of the same quantity. 

If, frotn the above, the 5.08 per cent loss by- 
inversion be subtracted, the loss by waste, im- 
perfect filter cake, washing out of tanks, etc., 
is found to have been 5.50 per cent. 

By greater care and attention in the manner 
of handling the different products this loss 
could be very much reduced. 

It is very desirable that lime water be used to 
wash all wooden troughs and other places 
where juice and syrup cotne in contact with 
wood. Unless wooden troughs are kept thor- 
oughly clean, and even a little alkaline, the 
juices which are absorbed into the pores of the 
wood in a short time become acid and induce 
inversion, as is demonstrated by the following 
data. 

After having cleaned and limed a wooden 
trough which conducted the filtered juices from 
the filter presses hack to the clarifiers, for six 
successive days the same juice, or as nearly the 
same as was possible to get at, was tested both 
before and after passing through the trough. 
The results of these comparative tests show 
that the rate of increase of the glucose to su- 
crose ratio became greater and greater as time 
went on. 



20 



Purity coefficietU 


t-rnKQ w O' c^oo '^ c?- »o q^ N CO 


Ratio of glucose to sucrose 


C> re « lO M Th re O^O to to O 

qv fe N N -N t^ t>* r>.oo io on to 
■^ -*• j>. t^ LOCO trj to T?- 4- ■4- fe 




•^\0 Ore-OONi-<i>. toco 
'-NNtSMreN-NTj-M'^ 




Per cent glucose. . 


■^ o re fe Tj- re f^ toxo -^rere 
t^.O'NNq OreNco totou-^o 
<s « -e (^* r^' re c* re N -^ n o 




N Tj- J>. -»i- to 1^ re re re o^ <>* o 

VO N CO N ^. *7 ■f '^ ^1 ^ On 0^ 




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PART VIII. 

General statement of the results obtained on the 
diff'erent Plantations. 

FIELD RESULTS. 

For the plantations on which the weight of 
the plant and stubble were kept separate, the 
results per acre are as follows : 

PLANT CANE. 

Tons. 

Kvan Hall 21.32 

Belle Alliance 19.15 

Souvenir 13-52 

Palo Alto '. 14.45 

STUBBLE CANE. 

Tons. 

Evan Hall 22. So 

Belle Alliance 1S.25 

Souvenir I7-0S 

Palo Alto 23.05 

General average plant and stubble irrespective 
of comparative area of each crop: 

Tons. 

Evan Hall 21.97 

Belle Alliance iS.So 

Souvenir 16.21 

New Hope i9«99 

Ascension '7-79 

Cane ground in New Hope sugar house 1S.87 

Belle Terre '7-70 

Peytavin and Dugas '5-30 

Crescent...., 15-92 

Rodriguez 14.40 

Cane ground in Belle Terre sugar house 15-92 

Palo Alto 23.30 

SUGAR-HOUSE RESULTS 

CANE GROUND. 

Acres. Tons. 

Evan Hall 1,041 22,873 

Belle Alliance i,0S9 19,913 

Souvenir 396 6,483 

New Hope 880 i6,6oS 

Belle Terre j,20o 19,102 

Palo Alto 554 12,903 



JUJCE EXTRACTED, 

• Barrels. Pounds. 

Evan Hall 3,976,000 35,313,887 

Belle Alliance 3,407 ,f)3i 30,257,166 

Souvenir 1,116,530 9,889,797 

N ew Hope 2,674,908 23,763,732 

Belle Terre 3,145,815 28,120,144 

Palo Alto 2,105,215 18,641,533 

SYRUP MADE. 

GalcoJis. Pounds. 

Evan Hall 896,401 9,270,391 

Belle Alliance 802,812 .8,341,731 

Souvenir 257,764 2,699,372 

New Hope 753,998 7,650,013 

Belle Terre 796,451 8,262,594 

Palo Alto 47S.987 5,053,286 

FIRST MASSE CUITE MADE. 

Cub. feet. Pounds. 

Evan 1 1 all 52,101 4,778,148 

Belle Alliance 49,734 4,607,244 

Socivenir >5,934 1,482,811 

New Hope 42,758 3,956,954 

Belle Terre 46,527 4.327,011 

PalojAlto 32,202 3,018,448 

DRY SUGAR MADE. 

Pounds. 

Evan Hall first granulated 32,234 

Evan Hall soft white 32,854 

Evan Hall first yellow clarified 2,578,503 

Evan Hall seconds 616,939 

Evan Hall thirds 57,224 

Evan Hall total sugars 3,317,754 

Belle Alliance first soft white 19,488 

Belle Alliance first yellow clarified 2,522^34 

Belle Alliance seconds 682,864 

Belle Alliance thirds 21,000 

Belle Alliance total sugar 3,245,786 

Souvenir first soft white 20,854 

Souvenir first yellow clarified 765,625 

Souvenir seconds '210,070 

Souvenir thirds 7,Soo 

Souvenir total sugar i ,004,049 

New Hope first soft white 469,770 

New Hojie first yellow clarified 1,474,849 

New Hope seconds 624,281 

New Hope total sugar 2,568,900 

Belle Terre first soft white 1,013,672 

Belle Terre first yellow clarified 1,259,721 

Belle Terre seconds 654,659 

Belle Terre thirds 212,671 

Belle Terre total sugar 3,140,723 

Palo Alto first soft white 1,348,637 

Palo Alto seconds 467,242 

Palo Alto thirds S8,4I2 

Palo Alto total sugar 1,874,291 

COMMERCIAL MOLASSES. 

Gallons, Pounds. 

Evan Hall 141,436 1,672,268 

Belle Alliance 131,250 1,496,250 

Souvenir 44,654 526,489 

New Hope 104,750 1,244,850 

BelleTerre 116,871 i,37S.S85 

Palo Alto 80,200 939,355 

COMMERCIAL MASSE CUITE. 

Pounds. 

Evan Hall 4,990,022 

Belle Alliance 4,742,036 

Souvenir i.S30»53S 

New Hope 3>8i3,7So 

Belle Terre 4,5i6,3oS 

Palo Alto 2,813,646 

GENERAL PROPORTIONAL RESULTS. 

MILL EXTRACTION. 

Per cent. 

Evan Hall 77-i9 

Belle Alliance 75-9"' 

Souvenir 76.32 

New Hope 7i«S4 

BelleTerre 73-59 

Palo Alto 72.24 



21 



Sl'CKOSE IN TIIK Mil. I. Jl'lCK. 

Ptr cut. 

Kvan M:ill "•! 46 

Helle Alliance 12.94 

Souvenir 1 2 6^ 

New Mope "3 23 

l?elle len e 1427 

Palo Alto 12.37 

SrCROSE IN THE DIFFERENT SUGARS. 



In the mo- 
laMi*$. 



Evan Hall 

Belle Alliance. 

Souvenir 

.\'ew Hope 

Belle Terre.... 
Palo Alto 









99.70 99.ao;97.24 97.^0 

199.00 97.80 97.S1 

98.^0 97.80 97 S2 
98.S4 95.41 9S..S1 
97.S2 97.27 97.42 
99-24J 199-24 



92.C1 S6.90 
90.S6 87. 00 
93.10 $9 IS 

95-31 I 

92.53 90.41 
89 90 92 30 



9623 
96.28 
0.76 
97.16 

95 93 
9664 



RESULTS PER TON AND PER ACRE. 





SUGAR. 


MOLASSES. 


COMMERCIAL 
MASSE C'TES, 




.Si 


Jo 


■ft 


Pi 


^ 

5 




Evan Hall 

Belle Alliance... 

Souvenir 

New Hope 

Belle Terre 

Palo Alto 


'4S-0S 

■ 63 

154-87 

IS4-6S 

164.42 

145-26, 


3.IS7 
3>o6; 

2.535 
2,918 
2,617 
3,384 


73" 

75- H 
Si. 21 

79-95 
72.07 
72.S 


1,606 

i>4>3 
'.329 
J.4'5 
i>"47 
1,696 


21S.16 
238.14 
236.0S 
229.63 
236.19 
21806 


4.793 
4.47^ 
3.864 
4.333 
3.764 
5.08 



Per cent of the time actualK required to take 
off the crops, which was unnecessarily lost, 
amounted to: 

Per cent. 

On Evan Hall 11.73 

On Belle Alliance 

On Souvenir 39-17 

On New Hope 2S. 13 

On Belle Terre 23 

On Palo Alto 21 

Per cent of the sucrose contained in the cane, 
sucrose lost in bagasse amounted to per cent of 
that in the cane: 

Per cent. 

On Evan Hall 12. 4S 

On Belle Alliance 15.6 

On Souvenir 15.16 

On New Hope 20.57 

On Belle Terre ii.2? 

On Palo Alto 19.67 

Losses by inversion per cent of tlie sucrose 
contained in the mill juice: 

Per cent. 

On Evan Hall 90 

On BelleAlIiance 1.66 

On Souvenir S-05 

On New Hope 5-4' 

On Belle Terre 4-49 

On Palo Alto 5 oS 

The losses of manufacture, other than by in- 
version, and per cent of the sucrose in the mill 
juice are : 

Per cent. 

On Evan Hall 16.4 

On Belle .-Mliance 11.4S 

On Souvenir 5.05 

On New Hope 5-17 

On Helle Terre 9-44 

On Palo Alto 5-5 

After deducting all losses of manufacture and 
inversion from the sucrose in the mill juice, the 
sucrose recorded in the firsts, seconds, and thirds, 
and the molasses of commerce representing lOO 
parts, the following proportional division can 
be made : 



On Evan Hall 

On Belie Alli.ince... 

On Souvenir 

On .New Hope 

On Belle Terre 

On I'alo Alto 




With the exception of Palo Alto, where there 
was too much water used in washitu^ the first 
sugars, the above tigiiies show that the best re- 
sults in first sugar boiling were obtained at 
Belle Alliance. 

This is believed to have been entirely the re- 
sult of stiff boiling. 

This shows that, as compared with Belle 
Alliance, on the other places the operation of 
making first sugar had the following degrees of 
inferiority : 

Per cent. 

Evan Hall 11. Oo 

Souvenir 5.57 

New Hope 6.i6 

Belle Terre 11.83 

Palo Alto 12. 2S 

The total sucrose accounted for in all the 
different grades of sugar is as follows: 

Per cent. 

Evan Hall sS.Ss 

BelleAlIiance f^-.H 

Souvenir 85.97 

New Hope 8S.05 

Belle Terre 86.39 

Palo Alto 87.79 

The shortages in the sucrose accounted for in 
the total sugars accordingly are — 

Per cent. 

For Evan Hall 0.55 

For Souvenir 3.7S 

For New Hope 1.44 

For Belle Terre 3.32 

For Palo Alto i 74 

On Evan Hall and New Hope the shortage is 
believed to have been entiiely due to want of 
stiffness in boiling, for owing to the large 
capacity of the hot rooms the errors in the 
boiling ot the first products were in a measure 
rectified in the boiling of the second sugars. 
Had not a certain quantity of third sugars been 
made at Evan Hall its shortage would un- 
doubtedly have been greater. On Souvenir, 
Belle Terre, and Palo Alto the shortage in total 
sugars is principally due to the want of suffi- 
cient capacity in the hot rooms. If the per- 
centage of juice extracted on each place had 
been the same as that on Evan Hall, the various 
coefiicieiUs of loss the same as the lowest noted 
in the foregoing pages, and the sucrose re- 
covered in the sugars in every instance the same 
as at Belle Alliance, the yields per ton of cane 
for each of the places would have been as tol- 
lows: 

Pounds. 

For Evan Hall 109.S0 

For Belle Alliance 177.80 

For .Souvenir 173. So 

For New H ope 1 80.3S 



For Bel 



-''5-52 



For Palo Alto it<9.36 

This proves that with such sugars as were 
made, the different plantations show the follow- 
ing sixjrtages in their results: 

Per cent. 

Evan Hall 1 1.58 

BelleAlIiance >.i2 

Souvenir 10.69 

New Hope >4-2S 

Belle Terre 23.71 

Palo Alto 14-24 



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